Sensory Evaluation of Foods Methodologies, Data Analysis and Industrial Applications

Chapter 1 Evolution of Sensory Science in Foods

Ashwini Gengatharan

Chapter 2 Anatomy and physiology of sensory sciences

Kamalapreetha Baskaran, Dakshayani Rajendran, Karthika Rangarajan, Mahendran Radhakrishnan , and Jagan Mohan Rangarajan

Chapter 3 Psychophysics of Sensory Science

Jayabalan Kumar, Ethaya Dhanapal, and Dakshayani Rajendran

Chapter 4 Sensory Thresholds

Devadharshini, Sona Kurian, and Akalya Shanmugam

Chapter 5 Discrimination and Difference Tests

Sangamithra Ashokapandian, Sellam Perinban, Gabriela Swamy, and Varshini Hemavathy Selvam

Chapter 6 Affective and Consumer Acceptance Test

Gokul Ananda Kesavan, Vasugi Murugan, and Akalya Shanmugam

Chapter 7 Descriptive Sensory Analysis

Meetha Nesam James, Senthamizh Kumaran, Senthilkumaran, Suba Ganesh Rao, Shruthi Das, Kritika, Kartik, Nidhi, and Jaiswal

Chapter 8 Sensory Panels: Types, Selection, Screening, and Factors Influencing Performance

Kaushik Raja B.K.Rand Chandrasekar Veerapandian, Akalya Shanmugam, and Dakshayani Rajendran

Chapter 9 Questionnaire Development for Sensory Analysis

Srilavanyaa Kathiravan

Chapter 10 Sensory Analysis Protocols and Laboratory

Gabriela John Swamy, Sangamithra Ashokapandian, and Chandrasekar Veerapandian

Chapter 11 Instrumental Sensory Analysis

Dakshayani Rajendran, Karthika Rangarajan, Kamalapreetha Baskaran, Mahendran Radhakrishnan , and Jagan Mohan Rangarajan

Chapter 12 Electrophysiology Methods of Sensory Analysis

Telanakula Hyndavi, Suruthi Muthusamy Vimalrani , Narni Vijaya, and Chandrasekar Veerapandian

Chapter 13 Smart Sensing Techniques for Sensory Evaluation

Hanuman Anshiram Jadhav, Chandrasekar Veerapandian, and V. Eyarkai Nambi

Chapter 14 Statistics and Multivariate Techniques of Sensory Analysis

Sunoj Shajahan

Chapter 15 Sensory Descriptors, Lexicon, and Sensory Wheels, Non-Verbal Assessment

Suruthi Muthusamy Vimalrani , Divyasree Mahantesh, Subhasri Dharamraj , and Chandrasekar Veerapandian

Chapter 16 Industrial Application of Sensory Evaluation in Marketing Innovation and Consumer Acceptance

Saipranavi Mullapati, Mohan Lenin, Chandrasekar Veerapandian, and Akalya Shanmugam

Index

Biography

Prof. Chandrasekar Veerapandian is working as a PROFESSOR in the School of Sensory Science, Department of Food Process Technology. National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management, Thanjavur (NIFTEM-T) – Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India. Prior to this, he was associated with ICAR-Central Institute of Post Harvest Engineering and Technology (ICAR-CIPHET) in Ludhiana, Punjab, as a Scientist. He completed his graduation B.Tech (Food Process Engineering) and M.Tech (Agricultural Processing) at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore. After his Master's, he worked in various capacities, including lecturer, assistant professor, and senior grade assistant professor, from 2007 to 2013 at Kongu Engineering College (KEC), Erode, affiliated with Anna University, Chennai. He has been a mentor guiding various projects for 10 groups of graduates, 10 master's students, and 01 PhD scholar. He taught heat transfer, dairy engineering, fermentation technology, equipment design, and total quality management, and Sensory Evaluation of Food Products to Food Technology students. He supervised the lab courses in heat transfer, dairy technology, food equipment design, and Sensory Evaluation of Food Products. I established the dairy engineering laboratory for undergraduate food technology students. He was instrumental in developing the curriculum and syllabus for the B. Tech in Food Technology and, as a coordinator, in establishing linkages between industry and the institute. He holds a Postgraduate Diploma in NGO Management from Madurai Kamraj University, Madurai, and earned his PhD in Agricultural and Food Process Engineering at TNAU. He was the recipient of RAJIV Gandhi National Fellowship for pursuing PhD.He published 50 research papers in both international and national journals and 20 book chapters. He attended three Quality Improvement Program (QIP) short-term courses from IIT Kharagpur, IIT Guwahati, and IIT Delhi, and three faculty development programs on Total Quality Management, Design Thinking, and leadership in Education.  His research interests are sensory science, value chain analysis and development, and system development for food preservation and value addition.

Dr. Dakshayani Rajendran holds a Ph.D. in Food Science and Technology from the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management, Thanjavur (NIFTEM-T), India. She is currently serving as a Senior Research Fellow at NIFTEM-T. Her research focuses on functional foods, novel food processing technologies, bioactive compound extraction, sensory science, and new product development, with expertise in seaweed-based food applications. She has authored more than 20 research articles/review papers/book chapters/popular articles in national and international publications, also serves as a reviewer for reputed scientific journals. Dr. Dakshayani is the recipient of the Young Researcher Award (2022) from the Institute of Scholars (InSc) and the Young Researcher Award (2025) at AGRI INNOVATE 2025. She is a life member of several professional societies and is committed to advancing food science through research, innovation, and academic collaboration.

Prof. Jagan Mohan Rangarajan is a Professor and currently the Dean, Student Welfare, at NIFTEM-T, and has 36 years of Research, teaching, and administrative experience in food processing with a background in food science. He was Vice President of the Association of Food Scientists and Technologists of India (AFSTI) for 2020-2021 and 2022-23. He has also been selected as President of the Association of Food Scientists and Technologists of India (AFSTI)-2027. He completed his doctoral degree in Food Science from TNAU in 1999. His journey is remarkable, from Technical Assistant, PPRC to Dean, Student Welfare, NIFTEM-T. His contributions to science include more than 85 research papers in reputable journals, 5+ book chapters, and 10+ popular articles. He also guided 2 postdoctoral students, 8 Doctoral students, and 15+ MTech students during his career.  His research and teaching areas of interest include food science, food biochemistry, food product development (extruded products), low-glycaemic foods, cereal and pulse processing, and sensory science. He was an active member in setting up the NABL-accredited Food Testing Laboratory at IICPT, Thanjavur, the Food Process Incubation Center at IICPT Regional Center, Guwahati, the Sensory Evaluation Laboratory at NIFTEM-T, the Food testing laboratory at the Liaison Office, Guwahati, the Women Bio-tech Park conducted by DBT, and the Knowledge Center for the Northeast. His expertise made him a Board of Studies member and a subject-matter specialist at various reputed universities in India. He serves as a professional member in the American Association of Cereal Chemists, American Society for Agricultural and Biological Engineering, American Dietetic Association – International, Indian Dietetics Association, Life member of the Nutrition Society of India, Member of the Association of Food Scientists and Technologists of India, Mysore, and Life member of the Indian Society for Technical Education. He has visited the USA for a short-term research program on extrusion cooking and worked at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, US. He initiated the MOU with Kansas State university. Manhatten, US, and was a team member visiting Asian Institute of Technology and Kaserstart University, Bangkok, Thailand for the MOU. He is a member of the FSSAI Scientific Panel for cereals, pulses, and legumes, including bakery products, and the BIS FAD 28 Sectional Committee- Ready-to-eat food Products. He also serves on the Board of Governance at NIFTEM-T and has served on the senate of various institutions.

Prof. Mahendran Radhakrishnan is Professor and Head of the Department of Food Process Technology at the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM)-Thanjavur, an Institute under the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India. He is an internationally recognized academic leader, researcher, innovator, and mentor with distinguished contributions to food process engineering, education, research, innovation, and technology-driven societal development. His research excellence has earned him a place in the Stanford University–Elsevier World's Top 2% Scientists List (2025) in Food Science and recognition among the World's Top 5% Scientists (2025) by the SciRank Global Registry. Prof. Mahendran has published over 150 research papers, 44 book chapters, edited five books, and holds four granted patents, with an h-index of 37. He has successfully completed 21 externally funded research and consultancy projects, established advanced research facilities, and translated scientific innovations into industrial applications. His research focuses on advanced food processing technologies, particularly non-thermal processing (Cold Plasma and High-Pressure Processing), food structure and 4D food printing, supercritical CO₂ extraction, sustainable food processing, and value addition of agricultural commodities. He holds a B.Tech. in Chemical Engineering, M.Tech. in Industrial Biotechnology, and Ph.D. in Food Process Engineering. Prof. Mahendran is the recipient of the Dr. V. Subrahmanyan Best Scientist Award (2021) and the Best Whole Grain Researcher – South Asia Award (2023) from the Whole Grains Research Foundation, Canada. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST) and the Institution of Engineers (India) (IEI), and actively serves as an editor, associate editor, editorial board member, and life member of several leading professional societies in food science and technology.

Prof. Eyarkai Nambi Vijayaram has graduated in B.Tech (Food Process Engineering) with university 2^nd rank holding and completed in M.Tech (Agricultural Process Engineering) with Periyar Endowment Merit Fellowship from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. He obtained his Ph.D in the field of Food Engineering and Agricultural Processing from TNAU, Coimbatore. He started his career as lecturer in SRM University, Chennai during 2007- 2009. Then, through ARS examinations, he joined as Scientist in ICAR-CIPHET and served as scientist from 2009 to 2018. Then, during 2018, he moved to Gandhigram Rural Institute (Deemed to be University), Dindigul as Senior Scientist and Head, ICAR-KVK. Since, 2019 he is working at NIFTEM-T, Thanjavur. Currently, he is a incharge  Controller of Examination Section at NIFTEM-T, Thanjavur. His expertise in the fields are Machine vision applications, Artificial Intelligence in food processing, post-harvest mechanization and automation.  During his career, he has developed 9 new machines and  5 technologies. He obtained 4 patents and published around 43 research papers in international/national journals, authored 20 book chapters and 5 books. He had conducted 2 international and 12 national trainings. He received various awards, noticeably Young Scientist Award from NAAS in 2019, Jawaharlal Nehru Award for Outstanding Ph.D thesis by ICAR in 2016, Young Engineer Award in 2018 from IEI , Young Scientist Award in 2016 from Bio-Ved Research Society, Allahabad and Best Researcher Award by VDGOOD in 2021.