We pride ourselves on our roots in sensory science. Sensory science expertise is among the bench strengths we bring to bear on discrimination tests and descriptive analysis.
Sensory research offers invaluable consumer and product insights.
Sensory research relies on participants who have special abilities and training to detect or describe sensory experiences. This training distinguishes them from ordinary consumers. In sensory research, we seek an objective characterization of sensory attributes. Sensory research participants are selected based on their ability to perform such tasks rather than to represent a particular consumer target.
Sensory discrimination testing
One type of sensory test is the discrimination test. Participants are asked to determine if a sensory difference exists among two or more products. However, they are not required to identify the nature of the difference – which may be difficult if the difference is very subtle. Discrimination tests include:
- Triangle test
- Tetrad test
- Difference from control (deviation from reference) test
- And more
Discrimination tests are usually performed with individuals who have shown evidence of their sensory acuity and are qualified for participation on that basis.
Descriptive analysis
Descriptive analysis is another type of sensory research. Descriptive analysis is performed by a small panel of highly trained individuals who identify and quantify the intensity of the sensory characteristics of a product. These quantitative descriptions can be married with consumer data to yield powerful models of which sensory attributes drive consumer perceptions and product appeal.
Get started with a trusted sensory research partner.
P&K Research is a trusted name in consumer product research, with a team that averages 20+ years in the field. Over our nearly 70 years in business, we’ve developed and shaped multiple foundational research principles. We also own and operate four market research facilities in strategic U.S. locations and partner with top facilities around the globe.
When it comes to sensory research, P&K creates and trains discrimination panels, ad-hoc sensory descriptive and quality control/quality assurance panels to your specifications. When client-dedicated panels are not required, we are proud to engage our partner Sensation Research to collaborate with us in providing descriptive analysis. Sensation Research has decades of experience in descriptive analysis, with expertise across the spectrum of categories, including food and beverage, cosmetics, fragrance, and more.
How can we partner with you to help you create your best products?
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