Sensory mapping using Flash profile. Comparison with a conventional descriptive method for the evaluation of the flavour of fruit dairy products

Flash profile is a quick sensory profiling technique designed to meet industrial needs. It is based on the combination of free choice profiling and a comparative evaluation of the whole product set. This study aimed at comparing Flash profile with conventional profiling. This has been done with two product spaces: strawberry blended yoghurts and apricot "fromages frais", both from the French market. Multidimensional data treatment such as Generalised Procrustes Analysis and Canonical Variate Analysis (CVA) allowed us to assess the correspondence between the sensory maps obtained with both methods. In the case of strawberry yoghurts, very similar results were obtained with the two methods. On the other hand the sensory positioning of the apricot fresh cheeses somewhat differed between the methods. For both product sets, Flash profile was slightly more discriminating than the conventional profile. Advantages and limits of Flash profile are discussed. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.