Robert Möslein - Andreas Scharf - Bernd Schubert
Odor Profile Descriptive Analysis (OPDA):
A new tool for sensory description of complex odors
- THEORETICAL ASPECTS -

Abstract

The odor of a product often determines consumer preference and thus its competitiveness in the market. While classical consumer tests deliver sound information about the acceptance of product odors, product development’s demands for successful olfactory product optimisation go a step further: perception data needs to be applicable for developers, i.e. it should be an exact description of how specific odors are perceived.

This is where descriptive analysis as a method of sensory product research comes in. Since the middle of the last century there have been various methods developed, all with one aim: to deliver objective and detailed descriptions of human’s product perception. However the scientifically validated methods almost exclusively deal with foods and beverages. There are only few reference studies on products which mainly owe olfactory perception for their success.

This paper outlines the special features of human odor perception and evaluates the possibility to apply the most important methods of descriptive analysis to collect valid olfactory perception data. Coming from the basic problems with perceiving complex odours „Odor Profile Descriptive Analysis“ (OPDA) is introduced as a new method to systematically create odor profiles. It considers odour perception-related problems and delivers valuable insights about olfactory product optimisation for product development.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Importance of olfactory Descriptive Analysis
3. Function and significance of olfactory perception
   3.1. Mechanisms of the human nose
   3.2. Significance of olfactory perception
   3.3. Peculiarities of olfactory perception processes
       3.3.1. The classification problem
       3.3.2. The identification problem
       3.3.3. The intensity problem
4. Options for the application of classical methodologies of Descriptive Analysis to describe complex odors
5. Odor Profiling Descriptive Analysis (OPDA)
   5.1. Registering product similarities instead of property intensities
   5.2. Selecting suitable panelists
   5.3. Training the panelists
       5.3.1. Importance of the training phase
       5.3.2. Defining descriptors and reference stimuli
       5.3.3. Scale training
   5.4. Obtaining the similarity data
   5.5. Analyzing the data
6. Summary
References

Authors:

	Dipl.-Kfm. (FH) Robert Möslein is project manager for Sensory Product Research at the Institute of Sensory Research and Innovation Consultancy (ISI GmbH) and lecturer for Market Research at the University of Applied Sciences at Wernigerode.
	Prof. Dr. Andreas Scharf is lecturer for Business Administration and Marketing at the University of Applied Sciences at Nordhausen. Additionally, he is scientific head and companion of the Institute of Sensory Research and Innovation Consultancy (ISI GmbH), Göttingen, Germany.
	Prof. Dr. Bernd Schubert is lecturer for Business Studies and Marketing at the University of Applied Sciences at Wernigerode. Additionally, he is scientific head and companion of the Institute of Sensory Research and Innovation Consultancy (ISI GmbH), Göttingen, Germany.