The University of Idaho Argonaut

University of Idaho and Washington State University departments of Food and Science have teamed for a new class — Sensory Evaluation of Food and Wine.
These two food science programs are closely linked so that there is no overlap between the campuses.
“Food chemistry is taught at WSU only, so UI students travel here for this class whereas food micro is only taught at UI so WSU students travel to UI for that course,” said Carolyn Ross, doctorate and assistant professor of food science.

“Dr. Ross has done a very nice job teaching the class,” said Kyle Stokes, a UI sophomore majoring in Food Science and Toxicology. “It is very hands on and you learn a lot about the way your senses perceive food and wine.”
Even with the two campuses within 10 miles from one another, students attending WSU courses sometimes find it difficult to make it over to Pullman “Getting to WSU three times a week is kind of a hassle. Wheatland buses run back and forth, but it saves a lot of time to just drive yourself,” said Stokes.  
The course provides an introduction to the theory, principles and applications of sensory evaluation techniques for the evaluation of appearance, aroma, flavor and texture of foods and wine.

“The class is geared around the way food and wine is perceived by the senses,” Stokes said. “A lot of the class is an introductory for conducting and analyzing sensory studies, studies like the Pepsi challenge.”
Students will learn the basic psychological and physiological processes, underlying sensory analysis, sensory testing methodologies and the basic principles of flavor perception and chemistry.
Ross’s research combines sensory analysis with analytical chemistry techniques to identify and describe changes in flavor and odor profiles.

With grapes and wine, her research group focuses on evaluation of aroma and flavor compounds and precursors, and the changes in these compounds due to viticulture and enological practices, or the study of grapes and wine.
Ross was hired on as an assistant professor/sensory scientist at WSU in 2004.
“As part of this position, I was to develop a sensory evaluation course,” Ross said. “I also decided what I felt was important to teach students with regards to sensory. I used a number of different sources to develop the class, including the textbook that I selected for the class and a sensory class that I took at the University of Manitoba when I was an undergraduate.”
WSU’s Food Science and Human Nutrition facilities are located at the WSU campus in the Food Science and Human Nutrition Building.

The building offers a fully functioning kitchen preparation area with ovens, water baths, refrigerators and counter space.
It also has eight pass-through sensory analysis booths, each equipped with a lap top computer.
Each department computer is installed with Compusense 5.0 software for sensory data collected from panelists.
Each computer is linked to a mainframe computer for data collection and analysis.
The department also offers sensory training room for descriptive analysis training session and capability to train panelists and conduct formal sensory evaluation on-site in individual booths.
“The facilities are nicer at WSU and our lab for the class is held in a certified kitchen/classroom,” Stokes said.