Kinetics of sensory quality changes in soymilk during thermal processing,by parametric and non‐parametric data analyses

Soymilk was subjected to various heat treatments at 90, 120 and 140 °C for various lengths of time. The colour and flavour of the soymilk samples were evaluated by a sensory panel consisting of eight semi‐trained assessors on (1) a 9‐unit hedonic scale, with analysis based on the assumption that the units are equidistant, and (2) a 15‐point hedonic ‘Smiley’ pictorial scale, the results being analysed non‐parametrically. The proportion (%) of ratings higher than or equal to/higher than the overall median of the samples was used as a rigorous estimate of product quality. These values were used to determine the colour and flavour changes in heated soymilk and their temperature dependence. The Z‐values derived from the parametric and non‐parametric analyses were in close agreement, ranging from 31 to 33 °C and from 30 to 32 °C for colour and flavour respectively. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry