The misson of the unit of sensory and hedonic studies is to deliver tools to the food and beverage industry that will allow them to optimize the sensory quality of their products, correlate it with the the responsible chemical compounds, and to discover and understand the consumer preferences and target markets through joint research, consulting, and services.

Traditionally, the quality of a product has been defined by the qualification of an expert’s perception. Invariably, these preferences are tainted by personal preferences and tastes. But which are the objective sensory characteristics of the products? Do they match the consumer’s preferences? Are we able to produce these products, or others, that satisfy the consumer’s expectations? In order to answer these questions, we have developed a scientific method based on objective analytical techniques that allow the chemical and sensory characterization of products, as well as to determine the consumer’s preferences.

The results of this inquiry are expressed as market-specific quality objectives or price-specific range, allowing to improve the competitiveness of the products, to understand what attributes are expected by the consumers, and what chemical compounds are the main responsibles of these attributes. This model leads naturally to the synergic creation of multidisciplinary teams between the private enterprise (with the presence of the commercial and productive areas) and the Centro de Aromas y Sabores. Together, they define the objectives of the study, and subsequently, based on the results, the company is able to take corrective or preventive actions in the productive and commercial areas, according to the consumer preferences, and to the target market.