Key facts
Start date: Online course: Any time. In-person course: Wednesday 20 November 2024.
Cost: $782 per person including GST
Duration: One day
Delivery mode: Online and in person
Time commitment: 7 hours
Location: Online or in person on Manawatū campus
Overview
You can study this short course in person at our Manawatū campus in Palmerston North, or online in your own time. Registrations for the online course are open year round.
This course focuses on measuring the sensory attributes of food.
Who this course is for
This course is suitable for people who need an introduction or refresher to sensory evaluation, including:
- people involved in sensory testing, consumer testing, quality assurance and product development
- anyone working alongside these industry functions.
Why take this course
To learn about the application of sensory techniques in the food industry.
What you'll get
Professional development certificate.
Learning outcomes
- Describe the senses involved in the perception of sensory characteristics.
- Outline how to screen individuals for sensory panels.
- Discuss different sensory discrimination and descriptive tests including more rapid methods.
Course content and structure
In person
Networking with tutors and other attendees and experiencing our labs make our on-site courses truly interactive. Lessons are a mix of theory and practical, including:
- sensory evaluation
- exploring the senses
- how to recruit sensory panels
- introducing discrimination tests
- introducing descriptive analysis techniques
- using rapid methods.
Online
Feast have developed fully interactive online versions of our one-day training courses. The course materials are delivered in a variety of ways:
- reading material online
- interactive learning objects
- online video presentations
- online interactive sensory booths.
You will have access to our online library for the duration of your course where you can contact the course tutor for help.
You will have four weeks to complete the course material from an agreed start date.
Sensory booths
Food Experience and Sensory Testing laboratory (Feast)
Feast is a hub for sensory and consumer research, training and consultancy. With New Zealand's only mixed-reality immersive room in a consumer testing lab, we can mimic different eating places such as a café, hospital ward or home, etc., while scientifically controlled. Users can also experience food in non-lab environments through mixed reality glasses (HoloLens).
Meet your facilitator
Registrations
In person
Registration for one person is $782.
If you are registering a group from a single company, the first registration is full price but subsequent registrations have a 10% discount.
Register for an introduction to sensory evaluation in person
Online
You can register for the online course at any time. Indicate your preferred start date when you complete the form. If multiple people from your company are attending the course, register separately and indicate a similar start date.
You will have four weeks to complete the course material from the start date.
Once registered, you will be sent on online pack and your secured access codes to the online course.
It should only take about 7 hours, so you can set aside a day, two half-days or just work through at half-an-hour or so a night if you wish – whatever mode of study suits you.
Please know that we need time to process your registration and send your online pack to you. Once all is set up, you can start your online training. If sending a parcel isn't feasible, we'll offer an alternative activity.
Other short courses you might like
Evaluating Consumer Response
This is an interactive course with a mix of theory and practical lessons. The course looks at the why, who, what, where and when of consumer product testing.
Quality Assurance & Control
This interactive course is a mix of theory and practical lessons. It is an introduction to how to apply sensory evaluation in the context of quality assurance for the food industry.