Meat Congress: modern approaches to sensory evaluation of meat products

The 11th International Meat Congress was held as part of the ongoing Agroprodmash 2021 exhibition, with the theme "Sensory analysis - opportunities ahead of time". The event is organised by EXPOCENTRE AO. Scientific partner - the Gorbatov Federal Research Center for Food Systems of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The congress featured presentations by scientists from the centre, as well as meat market experts, marketing experts, and company managers.

Elena Tunieva, Head of Department at the Gorbatov Federal Research Centre for Food Systems, presented an overview of sensory analysis methods - research that involves contact with the consumer, getting a response from him to the product. She spoke about traditional methods of sensory evaluation and modern ones using multi-sensory systems, as well as neurobiological methods of consumer preference evaluation. "Sensory evaluation methods can be divided into three main blocks: analytical research by tasting, an instrumental method using different flavours, colours, smells, and the neurobiological method, which makes it possible to assess emotional attitudes in consumers of products. All these methods have their advantages and disadvantages. The professional use of sensory evaluation methods makes it possible to avoid mistakes when creating a competitive product," said Elena Tunieva.

The Head of the Food Systems Department at the Gorbatov Federal Research Centre for Food Systems, Tatiana Kuznetsova, presented the sensory analysis method in detail. "International practice suggests approaches to creating the ideal product. Sensory approaches are expressed in the possibility to study consumer's perception directly during contact with the objects of research", - stressed the speaker.

Igor Zimin, Director of Strategic Marketing at Neurotrend, expressed his view on modern sensory approaches to the objective assessment of consumer opinion. "Sensory methods are very relevant now, as every company that produces goods and services for consumers wants to know how consumers feel about them," he said. The advantages of sensory approaches, he believes, are that they are measured directly at the moment of contact with the product.

Marketing experts from the Gorbatov Federal Research Centre for Food Systems and the Symrise Rogovo company spoke to the industry representatives. Their presentations covered sensory marketing and branding in the meat industry.

The report of the representatives of the Gorbatov Russian Research Centre for Food Systems on modern digital technologies for the evaluation of tasting results aroused great interest of the professional audience.