In vitro taste sensors: Technology and applications

Specific attributes of the taste, aroma and texture of a food product or beverages drives consumer preference and purchase intent. Generally, in product development stages, products are tested in sensory panels to determine which variant of a chosen set is the ideal candidate for further consumer testing leading to commercialization. However, sensory tasting panels are fatiguing and require commitment on the part of panelists to attend and be consistent in their evaluation of randomly presented samples. In the absence of a willing, precise and trained human taste panel, as well as the need for a high through-put screening tool capable of real time assessment of product quality, the need for in vitro taste sensors correlated to human sensory perception is growing. In the industrial and academic limelight, one such technology is affectionately called an electronic tongue.