The Consensory ^® Corners are spaces we created to put into practice our product research vision and live up to our professional values.

Experts, who have been working for years with both national and international companies, carefully designed the use of space. Different areas were set up, functionally integrated with each other.

The idea to have 2 sensory labs – one in Bologna and the other one in Milan, both within a co-working space exclusively dedicated to consumer science –  reflects the dual approach that is often used to study the sensory performance of food products: the consumers’ “subjective” perception, together with the sensory assessors’ “objective” measurement.

The  Sensory Rooms (Iso 8589) which are used for the objective analysis of a product sensory features, are equipped with 20 booths, where the sensory judges can individually assess the products. An environmental verification system assures the control of odours, temperature and humidity. All the booths are computerised and equipped with a statistical program of sensory data acquisition.

This area is connected to the culinary centre and to the sample preparation room and to the describer generation room, where judges meet to work on the products discussed during the survey before the actual sensory session.

Consensory corner sensory labs are part of Adacta Sensorynet, the first Italian net of sensory labs started in 2001. Our sensory experts choose and monitor a network of sensory rooms divided and carefully selected by product category. There is a net connecting some of the main companies in this area under the scientific and operative direction of our Researchers.

Who are the sensory assessors?

They can be:

• male or female, young or old
• specially selected on the base of their natural bents  because physiologically predisposed
• methodologically trained
• working in panels

What is the difference between consumers and assessors?

Consumers express subjective preferences measured in degrees of satisfaction and acceptance. Whereas assessors express objective judgments, measured in intensity and ranking. However, there is no contest between consumers and assessors, their roles are complementary, we realise that assessors measure what consumers appreciate.

Taste clearly plays a role in the sensory evaluation of a product, but what features can we perceive through the other 4 senses? Let’s start with smell.

The nose plays an essential role when tasting a product, the aroma, and the smell of a particular food both contribute to the enjoyment and taste. In fact, when we have a cold and our senses are temporarily impaired, we can’t distinguish flavours

What about eyesight?

Eyes give us the chance to imagine how a product is, even before tasting it.

What about touch and hearing?

Touching a product, we become aware of its volume, texture and weight. Think about the importance of this sense when choosing cosmetics and creams.

On the other hand, our ears enable us to perceive the noise the products “produce”. People with hearing problems have more difficulties in feeling how crunchy an apple is or how soft a sweet is. In the non food area, the role of sound can be critical. Perhaps not all of us are aware how the “click” of a lipstick cap or the sound of a car door closing can actually affect our choice of purchase.

How do you become a sensory assessor?

Periodically, our panel leader calls selections to recruit and train new sensory assessors.

The screening activity of candidates lasts for about 1 week and it aims at assessing their: eyesight, taste and touch perception skills, nose receptor quality, intelligence and attitude to carry out qualitative discriminating tests, semantic descriptive tests and in general their attitude to and their understanding of analytical methods.

Why are the sensory assessors defined as a measurement tool?

Only a sensory assessor can pick up the intensity of a product for example, the intensity of sweetness, of bitterness, of sourness. Machines cannot replace sensory assessors yet.

Are the sensory assessors paid?

Yes, they are. To be a sensory assessor means to carry out a job and so, it is fair that they should be paid accordingly.

Texture, color and fragrance are decisive in attracting the consumer

A techincal test area to study the drivers of liking

Texture, colore, profumo, pack costituiscono infatti i principali driver di gradimento per i cosmetici, i detergenti ed i prodotti per la pulizia della casa.

Contributing to the launching of such products is an expertice with a high level of sensory feeling

Many are the decisions that contribute to the success of a product.

Functional, hedonistic or nutritional benefits, sensorial connotation, name, packaging, color, taste or formula, communication, price.

Listening to consumers helps companies choose the most suitable mix.

Putting consumers reasearch and sensory analysis together gives even more complete results.

To give these answers Adacta’s researches have created the consensory test system.

Logistics is a key element in marketing research and particular for agencies, like ours Adacta,   who decided to specialise in product testing. The development of this corporate area created the need to:

• Identify a resource – the “logistic manager” – who coordinates all the activities of product management.
• Set up a logistic organisation with large warehouses where products can be stored and with equipment for movement and transport.
• Sign partnership agreements with companies specialising in this area, in particular for what concerns movement and storage of fresh products.
• Develop a particular skill in a correct and effective “debranding” of products, with a suitable productive capacity even in the case of large quantities.

A computerised system supports the different phases of sample preparation, monitoring the the logistical movements till they reach their destination.