PHYSIOLOGIC FACTORS AFFECTING SENSORY EVALUATION
In sensory evaluation, humans are the measuring instruments and are inherently important to bias. It is thus important to understand factors influencing panelists judgment. There are three main physiological factors that can interfere in sensory work: adaption, enhancement, and suppression.
Adaption - This is a decrease in change or sensitivity to a given stimulus as a result of continued exposure to that stimulus or a similar one.
Enhancement - The effect of the presence of one substance increasing the perceived intensity of a second substance.
Suppression - The effect of the presence of one substance decreasing the perceived intensity of a mixture of two or more substances(Piggot, J.R.)
Sensory Physiology Nancy L. DeVore
Updated 8/29/97. Send mail to Food Resource, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR.