History of Sensory Analysis

Humans have used their senses to evaluate food for several thousands of years. Given that so many phytotoxins and bacterial metabolites are bitter, sour, or rancid, mankind has probably used sensory evaluation since before Homo sapiens were human. Individuals can often tell by sight, smell, taste, and, to a lesser extent, touch, whether or not given food or beverage items are good or bad (e.g., safe or toxic). As civilization developed and the trading and selling of goods became commonplace, the first seeds of food sensory testing as we know it were planted. Potential food or beverage buyers tested or evaluated a small portion or a sample of products that hopefully represented the whole or the entire given lot of product. The product price was then established based on the relative quality of the product. This process of standardized product quality grading, the precursor of modern sensory analysis, subsequently emerged.