Joint research
ESN members are committed to working together to develop and improve sensory and consumer testing methodology for the benefit of the European food- and non-food industry.
Some examples:
Proficiency Testing in Sensory Analysis
- Development of International Guidelines, within the frame of the EU-funded project “Profisens”
- Development of reference samples for Proficiency Testing
e.g. systematically varied samples of chocolate drinking powder - Provision of regular Proficiency Tests
more ....
Calibration methods
Development of reference samples and calibration procedures for the sensory testing of food contact materials - paper and board
(EU-funded project “Calibsensory”)
ESN members share their sensory science and consumer research experience in cross-border studies, which aim at providing knowledge for the European (food) industry.
Some examples:
Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence -
(EU project “HELENA” No. FOOD-CT-2005-007034)
The main goals of the project are:
- To develop and harmonise innovative methods for the assessment of lifestyle habits of adolescents across Europe with special focus on diet, nutrition and physical activity.
- To assess dietary and physical activity patterns as well as nutritional status among European adolescents.
- To investigate knowledge and attitudes towards nutrition and physical activity among adolescents and to establish the main determinants of their food choice and preference.
- To describe regional, cultural, social, genetic and gender differences and similarities across Europe.
- To identify adolescents at risk of eating disorders, dislipidemia, obesity and/or type 2 diabetes.
- To develop a number of healthy foods and identify marketing strategies for consumers, in order to improve the diet of adolescents.
- To develop a Lifestyle Education Programme and test its efficacy for improving adolescents’ health.
more...For further information see http://www.helenastudy.com
Healthy Ageing: How Changes in Sensory Physiology, Sensory Psychology and Socio-Cognitive Factors Influence Food Choice -
(EU project “Health Sense” No. QlK1-CT-1999-00010)
This study is aimed at
- generating scientific data on the relationship between sensory physiology and food preferences
- studying the degradation of sensory capability in the ageing and determining how it affects their food preferences and general well-being
- understanding how older people deal with issues related to food and food choice
- publishing the results in a format that can be used by policy makers, the food industry and consumer organisations who support the elderly
For further information see http://healthsense.ucc.ie/
Coffee study
This inter-laboratory study aimed at clarifying the question, as to whether
- descriptive and profiling data on a product obtained in one country are comparable to the data of panels from another country, even if the panels use different attributes and different languages and can these data then be related to consumer preferences in other countries
- the consumer preferences for coffee are the same for all countries
A full report of the results has been published under the title "A European Sensory and Consumer Study: A case study on coffee" and can be obtained from CCFRA; Please contact pubs@campden.co.uk
Price: £40
