Consumer research and sensory analysis of food products
Consumer tastes, preferences and buying behaviours are changing constantly. Researchers at the Health and Food Sciences Precinct can help your business:
- understand your target market characteristics
- define products and their acceptability
- test product concepts
- understand product quality issues.
Sensory analysis for food and beverage products
Sensory analysis can reveal how consumers perceive the appearance, aroma, taste and texture of your product. Testing includes:
- difference testing to understand if new product formulations differ in taste and texture from old ones
- shelf-life trials (in combination with microbial count testing)
- acceptability testing to understand if a product suits consumer palates
- flavour profiling to identify consumer preferences for product
- fault detection to identify undesirable flavours.
Consumer research for food and beverage products
Consumer research gives you information about potential customers. We use focus groups, surveys, experimental auctions, at-home trials and novel interview methods to understand how consumers think and feel about food and beverage products.
Some of the ways our methods have helped business and industry include:
- product concept and prototype testing
- domestic and export market consumer profiles
- customer motivation and how this can shape marketing strategies
- demand, purchase intent and consumer willingness to pay
- consumer threshold for defects.
About the facilities
The food science laboratory has been purpose-built and includes:
- computerised sensory booths
- access to a trained taste panel
- focus group room with audio and visual recording, and viewing window
- commercial kitchen and cold storage.
Location and contact information
The food science laboratory is located at the:
Health and Food Sciences Precinct
39 Kessels Road
COOPERS PLAINS QLD 4108
Phone 13 QGOV (13 74 68) for more information.
Also consider...
- Learn more about Queensland's food and beverage industry.
- Last reviewed: 28 Jun 2013
- Last updated: 28 Jun 2016