The CR Sensory Group is involved in testing projects that require the use of human senses to make judgments and assessments. The group tests both food and nonfood products.

Our food testing is designed to report on what a food tastes like, which is achieved by providing a description of each product, along with a quality rating. The sensory panelists we enlist have normal taste and odor awareness, but have also shown the ability to recall and identify various flavors and textures. Our panelists are able to communicate precisely what it is that they are smelling and tasting. Food for our taste tests is prepared in our test kitchen and is served to panelists, via a pass-through, in sensory booths in which lighting, sound, and ventilation are controlled (below, left).

The group also evaluates nonfood products such as carpeting and vacuum cleaners. The panelists evaluate the foot feel of carpets on attributes such as shock absorption, density, and smoothness. In addition, they evaluated the convenience of vacuum cleaners, including how easy it is to change dirt bags (below, right).