Sensory testing for juniors
Class: Year 7/8 Food Technology
Teacher: Jacquey Neilson
School: Bush Primary Schools' Technology Centre
Category: Classroom activity
Activity
Jacquey introduced her Year 7 students to formal sensory testing, a successful activity which reinforced their Technology and which they all enjoyed.
To give students an idea of the importance of sensory testing she described her experience participating as a tester – being in a booth, isolated from other people's reactions, and receiving the food through a slot. She described how some food laboratories change the air pressure so that smells don't influence the tester, and how coloured lights might be used to take the colour out of a food.
While this couldn't easily be replicated in the classroom, the students were made aware of how important it was that they didn't talk or indicate their opinions about the food. They were each given a marking sheet with pre-determined attributes and had to visit each 'kitchen' to taste samples and mark them off on the sheet.
Jacquey notes that everyone took it seriously (although it was hard keeping quiet!) and that they felt very professional as they moved around the room with their clipboards.
Jacquey limits the testing to seven products, to match the kitchen areas, so that the formality of the testing is maintained.
The class first tested bread – sampling five different breads available on the market – with interesting reactions to the pumpernickel! They tested for taste, texture and colour on a scale of 1-10.
In Year 8 the class made bolognaise sauce which they tested for colour only. Each student could alter their own ingredients or adapt the formulation, and then tested their own sauce for taste, texture, colour and overall appeal.
While the formal sensory testing was popular, Jacquey is careful that they don't do it too often and start to find it boring.
RSS Feed
