Sensory Evaluation

UNIT 11 JUDGING OF MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS

Structure 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 11.8 11.9 Objectives Introduction General Scoring and Grading Guide Sensory Evaluation of Milk Sensory Evaluation of Ghee Sensory Evaluation of Table Butter Sensory Evaluation of Ice cream Sensory Evaluation of Cheddar Cheese Sensory Evaluation of Khoa Sensory Evaluation of Paneer

11.10 Sensory Evaluation of Dahi 11.11 Sensory Evaluation of Milk Powder 11.12 Let Us Sum Up 11.13 Key Words 11.14 Some Useful Books 11.15 Answers to Check Your Progress

11.0 OBJECTIVES
After reading this unit we should be able to:
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Draw representative samples of dairy products for judging; Recognize the samples with most desirable attributes; Identify the defects with intensity of different attributes of all range of dairy products; and Judge and grade various dairy products adopting appropriate sensory techniques.

11.1 INTRODUCTION
Dairy products have great significance in our diet. Each time we take our food, the dairy products, in one form or other, constitute the part of our menu. They are consumed not only for shake of nutritive value but also for rich aroma and pleasant taste. The palatability and eating quality of these products is judged/ evaluated by sensory technique, which we have discussed in Unit 1. Also we have discussed in Unit 2 that for the accurate evaluation of sensory quality of dairy products we need a trained or semi-trained panel. This panel should be familiar
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with the methods of sensory evaluation and produce reliable and accurate results like a calibrated instrument. One of the prime objectives of milk processors and manufactures of dairy products is to supply good quality products, which have high acceptability level among consumers. Therefore, all the products have to be judged prior to packaging or even before dispatch to the consumers. This can only be meaningfully done if the evaluators know the proper method of judging of dairy products. In this unit we shall discuss the judging techniques of milk and those dairy products, which have commercial significance in our country.

Judging of Milk and Milk Products

11.2 GENERAL SCORING AND GRADING GUIDE

While judging a dairy product, the identification of a defect, if any, is important but equally important is to award correct scores for different attributes so that the difference among the judges is minimum. Some of the defects are very serious, for example sour/high acid, rancid, oxidized and cowy flavour in fluid milk whereas others like flat, weedy and cooked flavour are not very objectionable. The scores are thus based on the nature of defect and its intensity. Finally grading of samples is done on the basis of total score. A general scoring guide is given below (Table 11.1) to help evaluators for consistent judging of dairy product.
Table 11.1 General Scoring Guide for Dairy Products Quality of Grade Dairy Products Excellent Good A B Defect & Intensity Approximate Score (% of the Perfect Score More than 90% More than 80% but less than 90%

No defect Flavour: Flat, slight cooked/ stale/ barny/ feed/ neutralized/ salty Texture: defects of only slight intensity Flavour: Definite cooked/ barny/ neutralized/ feed/ flat. Slight rancid/ oxidized/ metallic/ fishy/ yeasty/ mouldy/ acidic Texture: Any texture defect of definite intensity Flavour: Any flavour defect of the higher intensity as given above for grade C Texture: Pronounced defect

Fair

More than 60% but less than 80%

Poor

Less than 59%. The products are generally unacceptable at this score

11.3 SENSORY EVALUATION OF MILK

Since milk is the raw material for all dairy products, its quality will ultimately influence the end products. Therefore, proper judging of milk, both raw and processed milks is very important and needs special care.

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Sensory Evaluation

i.

Desirable Attributes of Milk

Typically flavour of milk should be pleasantly sweet and possess neither a foretaste nor an aftertaste. The natural richness in milk is due to presence of milk fat and the sweetness due to milk sugar (lactose). The colour of cow milk is yellowish and of buffalo milk is white. The colour may vary depending on the extent of mixing the two milks. There shall be no fat globules/particles on the surface. ii. Score Card for Milk

A 25-point score card has been recommended by American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) and 100 points score card by BIS (Table 11.2).
Table 11.2 Score Cards for Milk

ADSA Score Card Attribute Flavour Sediment Package Bacteria Temperature Total Perfect Score 10 3 5 5 2 25

BIS Score Card Attribute Odour Flavour Body (Consistency) Colour & Appearance Perfect Score 20 40 30 10 100

Full perfect score is normally awarded when there is no defect in milk, and zero score for an unsalable product. iii. Order of Examination and Scoring i) Sediment: It should be performed first. The kind, amount and size of sediment particles should be carefully observed by visual observation and scored against a chart of mental image. A 3-point scale may be employed occasionally. The presence of any sediment in the processed milk is serious and should receive a zero score. One possible scoring system using a sediment disc could be: No sediment < 0.02 mg/disc 0.025 mg/disc > 0.02 mg/disc 3 2 1 0

ii) Containers and closure: It should be carefully observed. Now-a-days milk is invariably packaged in polyethylene sachets. Hence, the evaluator must see that the packaging is proper and there is no leakage/ pilferage from the pouches/ containers. The containers should be examined for the extent of fullness (specified amount), cleanliness and printing.
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iii) Flavour: Milk should be properly tempered between 13 and 18oC, preferably

at 15.5oC. Samples should be served in clean, odourless glass or plastic bottles. For each evaluator, about 50 ml sample should be provided. Immediately after removing the lid, the panelist should smell the milk and simultaneously observe for the presence of cream plug or partially churned fat globules. Then mix the sample properly and take a generous sip, not less than 10 ml of milk, roll it around the mouth and note the flavour and tectual sensation. Then expectorate the sample. Sometimes, the aftertaste may be enhanced by drawing a breath of fresh air very slowly through the nose. Slow agitation of milk leaves a thin film of milk on the inner surface of the bottle, which tends to evaporate thus readily giving off the odour present. The BIS has recommended that milk sample should be warmed to 45oC for evaluation of flavour and odour. Score of 30 has been alotted to body, which means consistency (watery/curdy) as per the BIS. iv) Temperature: Raw milk as well as pasteurized milk should be stored at 7.2oC, but lower than 4.4oC is preferred. For pasteurized milk, if the temperature is above 7.2oC, the sample may be scored zero. Full two points may be given for a sample at or below 4.4oC. v) Bacterial Count: The maximum permissible bacterial count in pasteurized milk in India is 30000/ml and coliform not more than 10/ml. A sample containing a higher count than this limit should get zero score out of five. The bacterial count, however, cannot be done on every sample of raw milk for judging purpose. Hence, it is recommended to perform the bacterial count test after a certain interval or in case of suspicion. iv. Undesirable Attributes of Milk

Judging of Milk and Milk Products

The more common flavour defects of milk are: sour/high acid, flat, barny, feed, weed, bitter, cooked/burnt, rancid, oxidized, sunlight, cowy, salty, astringent and stale. The causes and method of simulation of these off flavour in milk for training purpose have been discussed in Unit 2.

11.4 SENSORY EVALUATION OF GHEE

The judging of ghee is probably most ambiguous because of regional preference involved in it. Consumers in different regions of the country prefer different type of flavour in ghee. In north India acidic and mild curdy ghee is preferred, in west definite curdy ghee, in south slightly to moderately cooked ghee and in eastern regions slight curdy ghee is preferred. Therefore, the ghee evaluators should consider these quality aspects and the area for which ghee is marketed. Despite this regional preference, the most desirable attributes of ghee must be remembered and judging should be done accordingly. i. Desirable Characteristics

A good ghee sample is desired to have a pleasant, nutty and slightly cooked flavour. Ghee flavour is best described as a lack of oiliness or of blandness, sweetly rather than sharply acid. Any suggestion of rancidity is considered objectionable. The body and texture of ghee plays an important role in its organoleptic evaluation. A good ghee sample should have well-developed granules dispersed fairly, thickly
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Sensory Evaluation

and uniformly over the entire mass. Breakdown of granulation may result in the greasy body, which lowers the ghee score. A bright yellow colour caused by the presence of carotenoid pigments, is associated with cow ghee and constitutes a desirable criterion in areas where it is preferred. Buffalo ghee is white in colour. Sometimes, it may also have greenish tinge depending on the region and feeding schedule. Ghee from mixed milk has invariably straw yellow colour. The colour of fats always appears deeper to the eyes when melted than when in solid form. ii. Score Card for Ghee

The main attributes and weightage given to each are shown in tale 11.3.
Table 11.3 Score Card for Ghee (BIS)

Attribute Flavour (aroma and taste) Texture Colour Freedom from suspended impurities (ghee residue) Total iii. Technique of Sensory Evaluation of Ghee

Perfect Score 50 30 10 10 100

i) Sampling: A representative sample should be drawn from the bulk or large lot in a clean and dry glass bottle. The bottle should have a cap/lid to close. ii) Tempering of ghee: Whenever possible, the samples should be presented at room temperature. However, the temperature of ghee can be varied depending on the method of evaluation. Many panelists feel that odour, taste and residue can be better detected when ghee is tempered to about 40oC.For texture evaluation ghee should be properly crystallized. The crystallization temperature for cow ghee ranges between 25-30oC and for buffalo ghee between 30-35oC. iii) Rinsing medium: One per cent luke warm (40oC) saline water (NaCl) for oral rinsing the mouth in between the samples is very effective for fatty foods like ghee. iv) Procedure: Sensory evaluation should always start with the visual observations of the ghee sample. The colour of the melted samples should be judged first, followed by observation on suspended impurities (residue). Odour is perceived immediately after removing the lid and inhaling the smell. Subsequently a spoonful of ghee is taken in mouth for taste and aroma. The body and texture should be evaluated at the end with the help of a spatula or glass rod. iv Undesirable Attributes of Ghee

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Colour defects: Two possible defects can be observed in ghee. i) too dark/ brown due to high heating temperature during ghee making and ii) bleaching, which is due to excessive oxidation of ghee during storage.

Flavour defects: The common flavour defects in ghee are: acidic, oxidized, rancid, curdy, smoky, burnt and bland or flat (lacking). The off flavours are simulated in small lots of ghee as described below for familiarizing the judges. i) Acidic ghee: Ripen cream to lactic acidity levels of 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5% and convert directly into ghee or first convert into butter and then ghee. ii) Curdy ghee: (a) Melt 500 g cooked butter at 80oC and leave it for 30 minutes for pre-stratification and remove about 80% of the serum. Heat remaining part upto 100oC, store at room temperature, or (b) add about 5 g of curd (dahi) into 100 g ghee and leave for 10-12 hrs at 40oC before evaluation. iii) Smoky ghee: Put an empty glass beaker/container in inverted position on a smoke fire for sometime. Pour about 100 g normal melted ghee into the bottle. Close the bottle and turn it upside and down side three to five time. iv) Burnt ghee: Raise the temperature of butter/ghee at last stage of ghee making to about 130oC.v) Flat/lacking defects: Either take butter oil for evaluation or prepare ghee from butter under vacuum. vi) Rancid and oxidized ghee: Methods of developing these defects are given earlier in Unit 2. Texture Defects: Greasy texture is a common defect in ghee and can be developed by overnight freezing (storage in refrigerator) of freshly prepared ghee followed by thawing. This practice may be repeated several times.

Judging of Milk and Milk Products

11.5 SENSORY EVALUATION OF TABLE BUTTER

i. Desirable Attributes of Table Butter

Butter package should be neat, clean and tidy in appearance and showing good finish. Salt must be uniformly distributed and properly dissolved. A uniform light straw colour throughout is most attractive and liked by the consumers. The body of good quality butter should be firm and showing a waxy, close knit texture. It should have smooth spreadability. A desirable flavour of butter is mild, sweet, clean and pleasant. It is so delicate that consumers always like to eat more. ii Score Card of Butter

100 points score cards recommended by ADSA and BIS are given in table 11.4. Table 11.4 Score card for table butter Attribute Flavour Body and Texture Colour Salt Package Total 45 30 10 10 5 100 Perfect Score ADSA BIS 50 30 15 Not prescribed 5 100
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Sensory Evaluation

iii.

Scoring Technique for Butter

i) Tempering of butter: Butter should be tempered at 10oC for proper evaluation of its flavour and body and texture. ii) Sampling: The sample of butter should be drawn with the help of a butter trier from a larger block/lot. The trier should not be washed in warm water but should be wiped with a soft tissue or absorbent paper. Washing the trier in warm water results in a melted, greasy surface on the plug of butter taken. This obscures the true condition of the body and texture of butter and makes observation of the colour difficult. While taking the sample from a large lot, stand squarely in front of the sample and observe the cleanliness and neatness of the package. Notice if this appearance is carried throughout. Remove the wrapper and observe the surface of butter. Get a mental picture of your observations. Then hold the butter trier firmly in the hand, insert it diagonally near the centre of the butter turn it at 180o and withdraw the plug. In case of retail pack (100 g or less), a spatula may be used in place of a trier. iii) Immediately after withdrawing the plug and before making any colour observations, pass the butter plug slowly under the nose, inhale through the nose very slowly and notice the aroma present. Make a mental record of this aroma. iv) After observing the aroma, examine the colour for uniformity throughout. v) Then examine the body and texture by pressing the ball of the thumb against the sides of the plug until it shows a break. Notice the presence or absence of free moisture or beads of water and their clearness and also the nature of break, that is, whether it is smooth or judged. vi Break a piece, about three cms, from the plug of butter and put it into the mouth. Chew it until it melts. Then roll the melted butter in the mouth until it comes to body temperature. Meanwhile, feel the presence of grit which is un-dissolved salt between the teeth. Also critically feel the manner in which the butter melts. Notice the various sensations of taste and smell. Just before expectorating the melted butter, roll it to the back roof of the mouth to detect the palate flavours. vii) Expectorate the sample, observe the aftertaste and notice whether or not the flavour persists. All the observations should be recorded in the score card. iv. Undesirable Attributes

Colour: The main defects of table butter are: lack of uniformity, mottled, streaks, mold discolouration and bleached. Colour problem with butter are not very common and serious. Body and Texture: This attribute is of paramount importance from consumers point of view particularly when butter is applied to bread, hence discussed in more details here.
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i) Crumbly or brittle: Such butter lacks cohesiveness and do not stick together

but falls apart when broken or some pressure is applied. Crumbly butter has poor spreadability. ii) Gummy: Such butter sticks to the roof of the mouth and gives a gum like impression. iii) Leaky: Butter that shows beads or droplets of moisture on the plug and on the back of trier is termed as leaky. iv) Mealy or grainy: This defect can be detected by pressing the partly melted butter between the tongue and palate. Mealy butter lacks smoothness, hence it is a serious defect. v) Sticky: Butter sticks on the trier or spoon. vi) Weak: Melt quickly when exposed to room temperature. vii) Greasy: Extremely smooth and quick melting when butter is taken into mouth are indication of greasy butter. viii) Gritty: This defect is related to un-dissolved salt content in butter. Flavour: The common flavour defect defects of table butter are: high acid, neutralizer, rancid, oxidized, fishy, yeasty, flat, fruity, briny and aged. The methods of simulating these defects have been discussed earlier in Unit 2. Check Your Progress - 1 1) Differentiate between aroma and flavour. Give the desirable attributes of milk. ........ ........ ........ ........ 2) What do you understand by regional preferences of ghee? Give the characteristics of good ghee. At what temperature ghee should be evaluated? ........ ........ ........ ........ 3) Write the sequence of observations that should be followed for judging table butter. ........ ........ ........ ........

Judging of Milk and Milk Products

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Sensory Evaluation

4) What are the common body and texture defects of table butter to which consumers are more concerned? ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........

11.6 SENSORY EVALUATION OF ICE CREAM

Ice cream is a highly popular frozen dairy product and liked by persons of all age group. Hence, several varieties of ice cream are available in market. Here we are discussing the sensory evaluation of plain/vanilla ice cream. i. Desirable Attributes of Ice Cream

a) Colour: The colour should be attractive, uniform, pleasing and typical of the flavour present in ice cream. Vanilla ice cream is invariably plain (no colour). The colour defects of ice cream are grey/dull; non-uniform, vivid and unnatural. b) Package: The package or container should be neat, clean, attractive, full and protective. The common package defects are: soiled, rusty, damaged, shrunken ice cream, ill shaped, etc. c) Melting quality: Good quality ice cream should show little resistance towards melting when a dish is exposed to room temperature. During melting, the mix should drain away as rapidly as it melts and form a smooth, uniform and homogenous liquid in the dish. Any variation from this behaviour is due to some defect and leads the consumers to be suspicious of its quality. Though the weightage to the melting quality is low (5 points), it is an important attribute on account of its correlation with the body and texture. d) Body and Texture: The desired body in the ice cream is firm, has resistance, responds rapidly to dipping and melts down at ordinary temperature to a creamy consistency. The desired texture should be fine, smooth, velvety and carries the appearance of creaminess throughout. e) Flavour: Vanilla ice cream should be pleasantly sweet, having a creamy, delicate bouquet vanilla flavour that cleans up well, leaving only a very pleasant aftertaste. ii. Score Card of Ice cream

The following score card based on 100 points is used for judging ice cream (Table 11.5)

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Table 11.5 Score Card for Ice Cream

Judging of Milk and Milk Products

Attributes Flavour Body and Texture Bacteria Colour and Package Melting Quality Total

Perfect Score 45 30 15 5 5 100

In general practice, the item of bacteria is not done along with judging and the perfect score of 15 is allowed. iii. Scoring Technique of Ice Cream i) Tempering of ice cream: Ice cream starts melting immediately after removing from hardening room. Arrangement should, therefore, be made to hold the ice cream at a uniformly low temperature so that its true body & texture characteristics can be perceived. The temperature of judging, however, should not be so low that ice cream is intensely cold and very hard. Also, its evaluation at very low temperature temporary nimbs the taste senses that take long time for recovery to normal condition. Generally, temperature in range of 15oC to 12.2oC is satisfactory for tempering the ice cream for sensory evaluation. To achieve, this ice cream should be taken out from the hardening room and placed in dispensing cabinet several hours prior to judging. In this way, ice cream tempers uniformly. ii) Sampling: The retail package of ice cream should be served as such for judging. In case of a large lot or bulk, a regular ice cream dipper or scoop is used for drawing the sample. The sample for melt down need not be large but must be uniform in size among the various lots of ice cream being judged. For this, a certain quantity of ice cream is kept in a clean petri-dish and melting qualities should be observed from time to time during scoring. The samples from large lots can be placed in separate plates or all in one large service plate. For taking a sample into the mouth a metal spoon is better than a wooden spoon. iii) The condition of ice cream starts changing immediately after taking it out of the cold store. Therefore, the judging and scoring of ice cream should be very fast. The judges should record their observations as quickly as possible, particularly about the body and texture characteristics. The observations should be made in the following sequence: a) Examine the container for cleanliness, fullness, printing defects, etc. b) Note the colour of ice cream for its intensity and uniformity. c) While sampling with a dipper/scoop or spoon, note the way the product cuts and the feel of the dipper as its cutting edges pass through the frozen mass. Note particularly whether the ice cream tends to curl up or roll in serrated layers behind the dipper thus indicating excessive gumminess or stickiness. The feel of dipping, that is, the resistance offered, the evenness
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Sensory Evaluation

of cutting, the presence of spiny particles and whether the ice cream is heavy and soggy, or light and fluffy, should be carefully observed. d) Unless the ice cream has been melted and mix warmed, it is so cold that for all practical purposes any odoriferous substances present are practically non-volatile and, therefore, little or no aroma may be detected. During the judging of ice cream, taste reactions (such as sweet, salty, sour or bitter) are perceived earlier than odour. Therefore, place a little sample directly into the mouth for warming and liquefying it. While manipulating the sample between the teeth and the palate, note the taste and odour sensations. The texture characteristics, such as gumminess, grittiness, coarseness, sandiness, etc. should also be felt simultaneously. e) Note the melting qualities of ice cream. The judges should observe whether the ice cream has retained its form and appropriate size, even though some free liquid may have oozed out, whether the melted liquid is creamy curdled, foamy, watery, and whether the tiny channels are formed as the melt drain flow down the sides of mass. iv. Undesirable Attributes of Ice Cream

The defects related to colour and package have been given earlier and those of melting behaviour, body & texture and flavour are mentioned as below: Melting quality: Does not melt or delayed melting, flaky or scummy, foamy or frothy, wheying off or curdled and watery. Body and texture: Crumbly (brittle/flaky/snowy), gummy (pasty/sticky), shrunken, soggy (heavy/doughy), weak, buttery/greasy, coarse (grainy/ icy/spiny), fluffy and sandy. Off flavours: Cooked, sour, old ingredients, rancid, salty, inadequate or excessive flavour, oxidized/tallowy, neutralizer, etc.

11.7 SENSORY EVALUATION OF CHEDDAR CHEESE

i. Desirable Attributes of Cheddar Cheese

i) Colour: The colour of Cheddar cheese should be uniform throughout. The most desired colour is very light straw for the natural colour cheese or deep straw or yellow orange for the medium coloured cheese. The cheese should be translucent, that is, it should appear as if one could actually see into the cheese for a short distance. ii) Finish and Appearance: Cheese with a desirable finish should show flat, parallel ends; square, even edges; an evenly-folded, neat, close fitting bandage or wrapper free from wrinkles; a clean, thin, uniform, close-adhering coating of paraffin, showing no blisters or scales; and freedom from cracks, mold, rot spots, or soiled areas. iii) Body and Texture: The desired body and texture of cheddar cheese is that
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which yields a full, solid, close-knit plug possessing smoothness, meatiness, waxiness and silkiness and which is entirely free from gas holes. Such cheese slices well. iv) Flavour: High quality American Cheddar Cheese has a characteristic cheddar flavour, described as clean, fine, nutty and pleasantly sweet. ii. Score Card of Cheddar Cheese

Judging of Milk and Milk Products

The weightage given to different attributes is given in the score card (Table 11.6)
Table 11.6 Score card for Cheddar Cheese

Attributes Flavour Body and Texture Finish (Appearance and make-up) Colour Total iii. Scoring Technique of Cheddar Cheese

Perfect score 45 30 15 10 100

i) Tempering Cheese: Cheese should be kept in a room at 10-15.5oC for a sufficient of time to secure a uniform temperature throughout all parts of the cheese. A plug taken from warm cheese appears weak bodied while a plug from cold one will appear brittle or corky. Hence, to know the true characteristics of cheese, tempering is must before scoring. ii) Sampling: It is done with a cheese trier. The edges of a cheese trier are sharper than a butter trier. A trier that cuts a larger plug has an advantage over one of small diameter because it is much easier to detect the degree of openness and the colour defects on the larger plug. Cheese trier is inserted in the middle of the cheese block, rotated at 180o and withdrawn. After drawing a plug of cheese, break the upper 2 cms and put in the hole again from where the plug was drawn. iii) Sequence of observations a) Aroma: Immediately after withdrawing the plug of cheese from the block pass it slowly under the nose and inhale strongly to ascertain the aroma. Then examine the remaining plug carefully. Make mental record of all these observations. b) Colour: Note whether the colour is bright, clear or dull; whether it is uniform, free from mottles or light and dark portions, or it has seams or faded areas surrounding the mechanical holes. c) Openness: Observe the nature and extent of openness in the cheese. Note whether the holes are regular, angular, rounded, large, or small. Observe also the luster or shine of their inner surfaces and note if they are dry or wet. d) Body and texture: Hold the ends of the plug by the fore-fingers and the thumbs of the two hands and bend the plug slowly into a semi-circle, observing

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when it breaks and the nature of the break. Observe carefully whether the plug shows a resistance towards bending and finally breaks suddenly, or bends one half of one third and eventually tears apart slowly. Take one of the broken pieces between the thumb and the fingers and work it up into a uniform mass, observing its resistance to the pressure of the thumb and the fingers. Spread the mass thinly over the palm of the hand with the thumb and observe whether the mass feels smooth, silky, waxy and fine or whether it is sticky, pasty, mealy or crumbly. Reassemble the particles, compress them into a ball, noting meanwhile the response of the cheese to its manipulation. Also note the behaviour of cheese while biting, chewing, mastication and swallowing. v) Flavour: Place the worked mass (ball) under the nose and observe the aroma. Compare this aroma with that noted when the sample was first removed from the cheese block. Place a small portion of the unworked plug into the mouth, chew it up to the semi-solid state, roll into the mouth, expectorate and note the flavour. Rinse the mouth occasionally with lukewarm saline water (1%), which cleans the mouth satisfactorily to the previous cheese flavours. iv. Undesirable Attributes of Cheddar Cheese

a) Colour: Some of the commonly found colour defects in cheese are: acid cut (bleached/faded); atypical colour specks (white or black, rust, etc.); mottled and seamy (uneven/wavy). White specks observed in highly ripened cheese are not considered as a defect. b) Finish and appearance: The judge may look of huffed, uneven size and edges of black, blistered/cracks, light spots, molds, rough and soiled surface defects as these may be correlated with some body and texture and flavour defects in cheese. c) Body defects: Corky (dry/hard), crumbly, curdy (rubbery), greasy, pasty, spongy, weak (soft) and short. d) Texture defects: Mealy/grainy (gritty), gassy, sweet curd holes and open. e) Flavour defects: High acid/sour, bitter, flat, moldy/yeasty, rancid, fruity, whey taint, unclean, tallowy, etc. Check Your Progress - 2 1) What should be the desirable melting quality of the ice cream and why it is important? ........ ........ ........ ........
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........

2) What are the sensory perceptions of gummy, soggy, sandy and fluffy defects in ice cream? ........ ........ ........ ........ 3) Write the method of sampling Cheddar cheese for sensory evaluation and which observations are made while sampling? ........ ........ ........ ........ 4) How the body and texture of cheddar cheese is evaluated for sensory quality? ........ ........ ........ ........

Judging of Milk and Milk Products

11.8 SENSORY EVALUATION OF KHOA

i. Desirable Attributes of Khoa

a) Colour and Appearance: A good quality khoa, in general, should have uniform whitish colour with perhaps a tinge of brown colour. Khoa made from cow milk, however, has light yellow to deep yellow colour. The surface should be slightly oily/greasy i.e., showing the signs of little free fat. It should not have any foreign matter. b) Flavour: A typical mildly cooked flavour, similar to that perceived from boiled milk, is most acceptable. The taste should be pleasantly sweet. Good quality product shall not have any abnormal or objectionable flavour. c) Body and Texture: The texture of khoa depends on its variety. In general a uniform and slightly granular (equal to pinhead size) texture is most desirable. Pindi khoa is required for making burfi and peda in which homogenous texture with very fine grains is required. Pindi khoa has smooth, compact and homogenous texture. Dhap khoa has slightly loose texture with grains of bigger size than that of Pindi khoa. Danedar khoa is used for making kalakand and milk cake in which presence of big grains with brown colour are considered desirable attributes. ii. Score Card of Khoa

A 100-point score card is more purposeful and objective, hence it is recommended for judging of khoa (Table 11.7)

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Table 11.7 Score card for khoa

Attributes Flavour Body and Texture Colour and appearance Package Total iii. Scoring Technique of Khoa

Perfect score 45 35 15 05 100

i) Tempering: Khoa should be kept at room temperature for judging purpose. It is, however, desirable to have a constant temperature of about 30oC for consistency in judging throughout the year. ii) Sampling: A uniform sample weighing about 50 g for each judge is collected from the bulk khoa. Alternatively, the judges may also use a cheese trier to withdraw the khoa sample. iii) Sequence of observations: a) The first step in judging khoa is the examination of packaging material, which should be neat and clean. The product should be properly protected. b) Immediately after collecting a representative sample of khoa either by a knife or cheese trier, bring it under the nose and inhale the odour of khoa and make a mental memory of the same. Then observe the colour and appearance. Special attention should be paid to the detection of burnt particles, if any. c) The texture of khoa is evaluated by observing the nature of plug for smoothness, cohesiveness and whether it sticks to the trier. Pressing and rolling a small piece of khoa in between the fore fingers and the thumb, note the hardness, presence of free fat, etc. Spread a small mass of khoa on the palm of your hand with the thumb and examine the uniformity, size and toughness of the grains. d) Take a sufficient quantity of khoa in the mouth. While rolling it about in the mouth and chewing it in between the teeth, note the tactual and taste sensations.Expectorate the sample and note if any after-taste persists. iv. Undesirable Attributes of Khoa a) Colour and appearance defects: Too brown/dark, lack of uniformity, moist/ dry/ mouldy, surface, visible burnt/foreign particles. b) Body and texture defects: Hard/dry, weak/loose, lack cohesiveness, grainy/ gritty and sandy texture. c) Flavour defects: Flat, smoky, burnt, sour/acidic, metallic, rancid, oxidized, stale, salty and neutralizer.
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11.9 SENSORY EVALUATION OF PANEER

i. Desirable Attributes of Paneer

Judging of Milk and Milk Products

i) Colour and Appearance: Paneer should have uniform white colour with greenish tinge if made from buffalo milk and slightly yellow colour if prepared from cow milk. ii) Body and texture: The body of paneer should neither be too firm no too soft. It should retain its shape. The texture of good quality paneer should be compact, smooth, slight spongy and velvety. While masticating it should impart feeling of fibrous texture with modest chewiness. iii) Flavour: Paneer has a characteristic blend of the flavours of heated milk, curd and acid. It shall be pleasant, mildly acidic, slight sweet and nutty. ii. Score Card of Paneer

The 100 points score card for paneer is exactly same as for khoa, presented in table 11.7 (Flavour 45; body and texture 35; colour and appearance 15 and package 5) iii. Scoring Technique of Paneer i) The optimum temperature of judging the paneer is about 15oC. It is highly essential that temperature of all the samples should be same for uniformity in evaluation of body and texture.

ii) Like all other dairy products, start with the visual observation of the package for cleanliness, proper protection and absence of soiling material/whey etc. on the surface. iii) Remove the package/wrapper and immediately inhale the smell and observe the surface. The spoilage of paneer during storage starts from surface due to formation of bacterial slime (greenish/ yellowish coloration) and production of putrid or acid smell. Also note the colour of product, presence of burnt particles or foreign particles in the paneer samples. iv) Then with the help of a knife or a trier, collect a slice/plug of paneer from the larger block. This should also be brought under nose to inhale the smell of interior portion. While cutting the sample particularly note the resistance offered, and whether the plug is intact or broken into pieces. Apply some pressure on the paneer block with the thumb and note whether the compressed area returns back to its original form after removing pressure. v) Take a sufficient piece of paneer in the mouth and while masticating note the ease of biting by teeth and the taste quality and overall flavour. Then expectorate the sample iv. Defects in Paneer

i) Colour: Dull, uneven colour due to surface evaporation, presence of burnt particles, mould growth, greasy surface due to bacterial slime.

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ii) Body and texture: Dry/hard, rubbery, brittle, weak, sticky/ pasty, grainy/ mealy, too open (lack compactness). iii) Flavour: Sour, putrid, burnt, smoky, rancid, whey-like, musty, yeasty, bitter, feed/weed and foreign.

11.10 SENSORY EVALUATION OF DAHI

i. Desirable Characteristics and Defects of Dahi

i) Colour and appearance: The colour of dahi ranges from creamy yellow for cow to creamy white for buffalo dahi. It should be pleasing, attractive and uniform without showing any sign of browning and visible foreign matter. Dahi should have smooth and glossy surface without appearance of any free whey on sides or top. A cream or malai layer on the top is indication of wholesomeness and purity, hence desirable. ii) Flavour: A pleasant, sweetish aroma and a mild clean acid taste are looked for in dahi. It should be free from any off flavour. A good diacetyl flavour is always desired in dahi. Skim milk dahi lacks the natural rich flavour and considered as flat. Dahi shall not show any sign of bitterness, raw, yeasty, cheesy, sharp, and unclean off flavours. iii) Body and texture: Good dahi is a weak gel like junket when made from whole milk. The body should be firm, homogenous and free from gas holes/ bubbles. On cutting it should appear clean/sharp. The surface should be smooth, preferably with a creamy layer. Defects like grainy/lumpiness, ropy, shrunken, thin and wheying off should be absent in dahi. iv) Acidity: Generally acidity in the range of 0.75 to 0.85%, as lactic acid is appropriate for good quality dahi. Excessive acidity imparts too much sourness/ sharp/ astringent taste to the product, whereas low acidity in dahi is considered as raw/bland. ii. Score Card of Dahi The following score card is suggested for sensory evaluation of dahi (Table 11.8)
Table 11.8 Score Card for dahi

Attributes Flavour Body and texture Acidity Colour and appearance Container and closure Total
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Perfect Score 45 30 10 10 5 100

iii. Scoring Technique of Dahi i) Temper dahi to about 10-15oC for proper judging.

Judging of Milk and Milk Products

ii) Note the condition of container/package for fullness, cleanliness and general appearance. iii) Remove the closure lid of the package and immediately observe the aroma by inhaling the product. Simultaneously, examine the appearance of dahi for uniformity of colour and presence of visible extraneous/foreign matter. iv) Cut the curd by using a knife or spoon and observe for the firmness and evenness of cut. Also observe the interior of dahi mass for smoothness, presence of air/gas holes and free whey. v) Place a spoonful of dahi in the mouth. Ascertain the taste and aroma of product. While manipulating in mouth also note the tactual properties on the tongue and between teeth for grittiness/graininess.. vi) Note whether the acidity level is pleasant and typical to the product. vi) Finally rinse your mouth with water.

11.11 SENSORY EVALUATION OF MILK POWDERS

The sensory evaluation of milk powders assumes great significance in our country. Milk powders, particularly skim milk powder (SMP) is manufactured in large quantities at feeder balancing plants in the flush season and subsequently used in lean period in reconstituted form to maintain milk supply. Also it has become an important export commodity. In this chapter we shall discuss the sensory evaluation of both, whole milk powder (WMP) and Skim Milk Powder SMP. i. Desirable Attributes and Defects in Milk Powders

i) WMP: The flavour of dry whole milk should be clean, rich, sweet and pleasant. Frequently, dry milk may be unduly criticized as having a heated or a cooked taste. This may be expected or even desired. The common flavour defects of WMP are oxidized/tallowy, chalky, scorched, rancid and stale. The product should be free flowing to some extent with absence of lumps. Presence of hard lumps is a serious defect in WMP. The colour of WMP depending on the source of fat varies from white to deep yellow. The defects such as scorched particles, browning or lack of uniformity should be absent. ii) SMP: The flavour of good quality SMP, when reconstituted should be similar to that of fresh skim milk, that is, normally a flat taste because of practically no fat in it. Otherwise, the flavour is clean, sweet and pleasant and may have a slightly cooked or heated perception. The chief flavour defects of SMP are stale/storage, neutralizer and scorched. SMP prepared by spray process is very fine in particle size and free flowing. The product pours readily somewhat like that of corn meal. Cake formation is the most frequently occurring defect related to texture of SMP. Sometime the defect is so serious that the product looks as hard as a rock. The colour of SMP should be uniform and showing complete

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absence of scorched particles and browning. The product should have a creamy white or light yellow colour. iii. Score Card of Milk Powders The weightage given to different attributes of milk powders is shown in table 11.9.
Table 11.9 Score card for milk powders

Attributes Package Appearance of dry product Flavour of dry product Appearance of reconstituted milk Flavour of reconstituted milk Total iii. Scoring Technique of Milk Powders

Perfect score 5 15 20 15 45 100

i) Method of Reconstitution: Generally the dry milks are reconstituted to the composition of their native liquid form for examining odour, taste and presence of undissolved particles (sediments). The required quantities of WMP (13 g) and SMP (10g) are dissolved in warm water (40-45oC) to make the final volume to 100 ml and left for about 30 min before judging. ii) Sequence of Observations a) First of all observe the external condition of the package for cleanliness, neatness etc. b) Open the package and immediately inhale the aroma. Take a small amount of powder in to mouth for taste and tactual perceptions. c) Simultaneously observe the appearance of powder for colour, lack of lumps/ cakes and free flowing properties. d) Then start judging the reconstituted milk adopting the same technique as discussed easier for fluid milk. e) Try to correlate the flavour perceived in dry form with that noted in reconstituted form. f) Record all observations along with intensity of defect, if any, in the score sheet. Check Your Progress - 3 1) Write the desirable attributes of khoa and paneer. ........
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........ ........ ........ 2) Write the sequence of observations for judging paneer. ........ ........ ........ ........ 3) What should be the flavour and texture attributes of a good quality dahi? Write the score card for dahi. ........ ........ ........ ........ 4) Why reconstitution of SMP and WMP is essential for their proper judging? Which flavour and structure defects are commonly encountered in these powders. ........ ........ ........ ........

Judging of Milk and Milk Products

11.12 LET US SUM UP

Processed milk and all dairy products should be evaluated for sensory quality before packaging and marketing so that the consumers are supplied good quality products. The quality of raw materials and processing and storage conditions are responsible for adversely affecting sensory properties of dairy products. So at all critical stages a trained/semi-trained sensory panel must judge the products. The general step-wise approach that should be used for judging of milk and dairy product is i) temper the products to a most appropriate temperature; ii) observe the package/container for cleanness, fullness, sealing and attractiveness; iii) secure a representative sample from the bulk package in such a way that textural attributes are not changed; iv) inhale the aroma of product immediately after opening the package/withdrawal of sample; v) note the body and texture attributes first while withdrawing sample/cutting a piece with a butter or cheese trier, spoon, knife, etc. and later while masticating and manipulating in the mouth; vi) take a sufficient quantity of product into mouth and observe the taste reactions and finally the overall flavour; vii) rinse your mouth with a suitable medium to cleanse the carry over affect of previous sample. In certain products some additional steps, such as melting behaviour in ice cream, reconstitution of powders, etc are also adopted for complete judging of dairy product.
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The sensory panel members should be thoroughly acquainted with the desirable and undesirable attributes of dairy products, score cards and scoring techniques. The judging of milk, ghee, table butter, cheese, ice cream, khoa, paneer, dahi and milk powders have been discussed.

11.13 KEY WORDS

Aged/Stored/Stale : Refers to flavours and other sensory properties that develop in foods as a result of time and conditions of storage. : Sensations perceived by the nose when a substance is sniffed. : Possessing a fragrant, slightly pungent, usually pleasant aroma. : Quality perceived due to the complex sensation caused by shrinking, drawing, or puckering of the skin surfaces of the mouth; dry feeling in the mouth. : Having no distinctive taste or odour property. : A taste sensation consisting of a complex saltiness and sourness. : Texture property characterized by breaking easily and leaving sharp edges. : Having a flavour reminiscent of cardboard. : Colour and flavour produced when sugars are heated or heat interacted with proteins. : A textural property characterized by a dry, powdery, oral sensation. : Typical, distinctive quality of a food product. : Composed of large particle or food that contain harsher unpleasant flavour. : A textural property perceived by the tongue and teeth related to the internal strength of the food. : Textural property similar to the tough, elastic cortical tissue of the cork oak. : Textural property characterized by ease with which a substance may be separated into smaller particles. : Stringy textural property. : Solid, compact textural property.

Aroma Aromatic Astringent

Bland flat Briny Brittle Cardboardy Caramelized Chalky Characteristic Coarse Cohesiveness Corky Crumbly Fibrous Firm
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Firmness/hardness

: Force required to compares a substance between molar teeth (for solids) or between tongue and palate (for semi solids) : Textural property consisting of a mass of bubbles formed on liquids, or in the mouth by agitation or by fermentation frothy. : Containing a flavour not normally associated with the product. : Textural property suggesting a covering of oil or fat. : Lacking harmony or smoothness; rasping, coarse, rough, grating, discordant, astringent. : Of uniform structure or composition throughout. : Areas with varying intensities of shades of colour. : Unpleasant flavour and odour associated with proteolytic spoilage. : Having an odour, flavour or texture similar to rubber. : Intensified cooked generally unpleasant flavour and discolouration due to burnt particles. : A sensation imparted by material that is thick, coats the mouth, is not readily diluted by saliva, and is difficult to swallow. : Having an even surface or consistency; devoid of roughness in taste and flavour. : Saturated with moisture; heavy and wet; sudden or soaked. : The taste sensation caused by acids. : Degree to which a product returns to its original shape once it has been compressed between the teeth; spongy, elastic.

Judging of Milk and Milk Products

Foamy

Foreign flavour Greasy Harsh/sharp Homogenous Mottled Putrid Rubbery Scorched Slimy

Smooth Soggy Sour Springiness/ Sponginess

11.14 SOME USEFUL BOOKS

Nelson, J.A. and Troat, G.M. (1964). Judging of Dairy Products, AVI Publ. Co., New York. Bodyfelt, F.W., Bobias, J. and Trout, G.M. (1988). The Sensory Evaluation of Dairy Products, AVI Publ. Co., New York. IS: 5126 (Part 1). 1969. Glossary of general terms for sensory evaluation of foods. Part I. Methodology, BIS, Manak Bhavan, New Delhi.
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IS:5126 (Part II). 1969. Glossary of general terms for sensory evaluation of foods. Part II. Quality characteristics, BIS, Manak Bhavan, New Delhi. IS: 7768 (1975). Method for sensory evaluation of milk, BIS, Manak Bhavan, New Delhi. IS: 7769 (1975). Method for sensory evaluation of table butter IS:7770 (1975). Method for sensory evaluation of ghee. IS:10030 (1981). Method for sensory evaluation of milk powders. BIS, Manak Bhavan, New Delhi.

11.15 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

Your answer should include the following points Check Your Progress - 1 1) i. Aroma is sensation perceived by the nose and flavour is composed of those sensations perceived by nose, mouth, tongue and throat i.e. flavour is total perception.

ii. The most important attribute, to which maximum score is allowed, is flavour. The flavour of fresh milk should be pleasantly sweet having no after taste or off flavour. 2) i. Different flavours in ghee are preferred in different regions of the country that is called regional preferences.

ii. Good ghee should have pleasant, nutty and slightly cooked or acidic flavour. The grains in ghee should be well developed and uniformly dispersed in the entire mass. Colour should be attractive. iii. Aroma of ghee is best perceived at about 40oC whereas the granulation is judged at the crystallization temperature of butterfat (25-30oC for cow ghee and 30-35oC for buffalo ghee) 3) Your answer should include the following points: Steps that should be followed for judging of table butter are:
l

tempering of butter at about 10oC sampling with a butter trier inhalation of aroma observation of colour examination of body & texture by pressing the plug with thumb and observing presence of water beads

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place into mouth and note various sensations, i.e. taste, grit, adherence to palate, etc. Overall quality

Judging of Milk and Milk Products

4) The important body and texture defects of table butter from consumers point of view are:
l

Crumby/brittle: Consumers cannot apply such butter to bread. Gummy: Sticks to the palate and cannot be easily swallowed when eating Sticky: Stick to the knife/spoon, inconvenience in handling Weak: Starts melting immediately after taken from refrigerator. Gritty: Perception of undissolved salt granules.

Check Your Progress - 2 1)

l

Ice cream is judged at 15o to -12.2oC Ice cream of desirable melting quality should show little resistance to melting when exposed to room temperature. The melt (liquid) should be uniform and homogenous. If ice cream melts either too fast or does not melt at all the consumers get suspicious of the quality. Particularly the ice cream that melts very fast cannot be enjoyed by the consumers. Gummy ice cream curl behind the spoon when simple is taken and also sticks to the roof of mouth (palate) when eaten. Soggy ice cream is very difficult to cut and gives feeling of too much coldness. Sandy ice cream imparts feeling of small grains/particles, which do not melts/ dissolve easily in mouth. Fluffy ice cream is noted by the presence of large air cells and lightness. When melts lots of foam appears on the surface. Sampling of cheddar cheese for its sensory evaluation is done with a cheese trier. The evaluator should stand in front of a large cheese block, insert the trier in the centre of block, rotate 180o and withdraw alongwith plug. Plug is observed for aroma by smelling, surface colour, openness, bending and breaking behaviors to ascertain the body and texture characteristics. Bend the cheese plug into a semicircle by holding its two ends by forefingers and the thumb, and observe how much resistance plug shows to the bends, how much it bends when it breaks and the nature of break. Work a broken piece between thumb and finger.
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2)

3)

4)

Sensory Evaluation

Spread the mass thinly over the palm. Note the behaviour of cheese while biting, masticating and chewing in mouth.

Check Your Progress - 3 1)

l

Good quality khoa should have uniform yellowish or creamy white colour, surface should be slightly greasy/oily, flavour mildly cooked & sweet and texture depending on variety of khoa. Pindi khoa should be homogenous, compact with fine grains; texture of Dhap khoa in loose with grains of slightly large size than Pindi, and of Danedar khoa very large grains. Paneer of good quality should have creamy white colour, uniform throughout the mass; compact, smooth, slight spongy and velvety texture, and pleasant, mildly acidic, sweet and nutty flavour.

2) Temper at 15oC; observe the package; withdraw a sample; smell for aroma; observe surface for colour and presence of burnt particles; cut with a knife; observe for resistance, compactness, smoothness; press and rub between forefinger and thumb for sponginess and grains; place a piece into mouth; chew and masticate; observe taste & textural attributes; expectorate sample and observe after taste reactions. 3)
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Dahi of good quality should have pleasant, sweetish diacetyl aroma and mild clean acid taste. Body should be firm, homogenous, free from gas holes and have clean cut with no wheying off. 100 points score card is used for sensory evaluation of dahi and the distribution of scores for various attributes is: flavour, 45; body & texture, 30; acidity, 10; colour & appearance, 10 and package, 5. On reconstitution of SMP and WMP to the composition of their respective liquid forms, the off flavours can be perceived more easily. Also the extent of sediment and undissolved particles observed in reconstitution form can be correlated with other defects. The most common flavour defect of WMP is oxidized and of SMP is stale. Cake formation is more common in SMP and lumps are normally found in WMP.

4)

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