Products that contain sensates have hit the shelves for years now and 2019 was no different. On the “hot & spicy” side, products launched this past year include spicy meats and prepared meals, supplements & health booster products, and many sweet and/or salty snacks. On the “cool and refreshing” side, new products often blend minty cool concepts with not only dark chocolate (a long time favorite), but citrus, fruity and other sweet flavors. These products, through the use of ingredients as diverse as black pepper, ginger, jalapenos, habaneros, cayenne, mints and menthol, wasabi... deliver a heat or cooling sensory signature that can vary widely in its delivery. This may not be as hot a trend as plant-based products right now, but the quest for the perfect combination of flavors, textures and sensations (cooling, warming, burning, tingling, numbing…) is still very much pervasive today across both food/beverages and non-food applications. Sensates are integrated into new products to elicit consumer responses as diverse as surprise, momentary excitement, change from routine, relief, comfort. In some product categories, they also connote efficacy and cue performance. Fully understanding how sensates are perceived is no small task for sensory professionals and product developers. Our intent for this presentation is to share some of the lessons learned based on over 25 years of research working with sensates across a wide variety of applications. Discussions will include topics related to understanding variability in perception, strategies for selecting research participants, training consideration for sensory panels, reflections on sensory testing protocols with both trained panelists and consumers. These insights are important to determine a sound and strategic path for studying sensates, understanding how they come across in finished products, and ultimately successfully integrate them into products that deliver key expected consumer benefits.

Understanding sensates: Lessons learned from over 25 years of sensory research

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.