The Sensory Lab is used to conduct product testing studies, bringing in consumers to provide feedback on the sensory qualities of products such as the color and taste. A kitchen area located within our USDA-inspected processing facility allows investigators to provide freshly-prepared foods through passthrough windows to test subjects in a separate room. This preserves both food safety and research integrity. The testing room also offers alternative lighting options, allowing an investigator to remove the psychological impact of the color of the product from the assessment if desired.

Recent Related Publications:

1. Sheng, S., Silva, E.M., Ricke, S.C., Claus, J.R. (2025) Characterization of Volatilized Compounds in Conventional and Organic Vegetable-Source Alternative Meat-Curing Ingredients. Molecules, 30, 835. http://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30040835
2. Sheng, S., Silva, E.M., Ricke, C.S., Claus, J.R. (2025) Consumer and Quality Evaluation of Organic and Conventional Alternative Cured Deli Turkey. Poultry Science,104(8), 105370.http://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2025.105370
3. Sheng, S., Ricke, S.C., Silva, E.M., Claus, J.R. (2025) Impact of Organic and Conventional Vegetable-Based Curing Ingredients on Frankfurter Quality and Sensory Attributes Food Science & Nutrition. 13: e70148. http://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.70148
4. Sheng, S., Silva, E.M., Ricke, C.S., Claus, J.R. (2025) Consumer Taste Preferences for Conventional versus Organic Processed Meats, npj Science of Food Preprint http://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6413730/v1