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21 January 2020 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Leonie Bolleurs
Prof Danie Vermeulen, Prof Arno Hugo, and master’s student in Consumer Sciences, Mandisa Masuku in the newly renovated sensory laboratory in the Agricultural Building on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus.
Prof Danie Vermeulen, Prof Arno Hugo, and master’s student in Consumer Sciences, Mandisa Masuku in the newly renovated sensory laboratory in the Agricultural Building on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus.
Imagine all food tasting the same …

Fortunately, this is not the case, as consumers like to enjoy what they eat. Tasting food is important because it enables suppliers to adapt food products to consumers’ preferences.

According to Prof Arno Hugo of the Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology at the University of the Free State (UFS), it is important for food companies to make sure that new food products are acceptable to consumers before launching such products. Often, companies also want to confidentially compare and profile their new or even established products against their competitors’ products. Lately, food companies also have the need to adapt European or North American food products for the local consumer (Africanisation of food products). Independent sensory laboratories are needed for such work. 

Dr Carina Bothma, Senior Lecturer and sensory science expert – also from the Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology – who manages the sensory laboratory, says the laboratory at the university performs sensory analysis, which is a scientific discipline used to evoke reactions from humans regarding the five senses of sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing. These reactions can be captured from first bite to complete mastication and are then statistically analysed and interpreted by a sensory analyst.

With the support of the Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Prof Danie Vermeulen, a project to the value of R3 million to upgrade the existing sensory laboratory in the Agricultural Building on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus, is nearing completion. Minor improvements will be completed by June 2020.

According to Dr Bothma, upgrades were done in three sections, including a training area (with seating for 12 trained panellists); a computerised 12-booth tasting area (with a three-light communication system); and a preparation area. The latter consists of a walk-in fridge and walk-in freezer, a 10-rack industrial steam-jet oven, a ventilation system to control and maintain a negative pressure in the preparation area – so that odours do not move to the tasting area, two mobile units with four gas plates in each unit, and a sputum and control area equipped with a computer.

Prof Hugo, who is mainly responsible for planning trials and statistical analyses of sensory data, says the sensory laboratory is truly a fantastic facility and big asset for the university. “I think it is one of the best-planned and best-equipped sensory laboratories in South Africa.”

Alternative food products profiled

He continues: “Several sensory studies have been done regarding the influence of salt reduction on the meat quality of various meat products, as well as the effect of different feed supplements on meat quality. Meat was also evaluated, comparing the meat quality of animals from different production systems.”

Dr Bothma states that food products to be evaluated vary and may include new products in product development. “Several interesting food products have been tested in the lab so far. Underutilised vegetables such as amaranth and cactus pears, and newly introduced crops such as edamame, have been evaluated.  Ancient grains such as fonio have also been profiled.  An African staple, amagwinya, is currently being profiled, as well as food products containing insect flour,” she says.

Testing and teaching

According to Dr Bothma, a trained panel consisting of 10 to 12 panellists is highly trained to verbally describe a food product or characteristic.  For other tests, consumers of a specific food product to be tested, are sourced. Such a panel can consist of between 75 and 300 persons, depending on the requirements of the client.  Panels can also be compiled according to specific demographics. All demographic information remains anonymous.  

Sensory analysis forms part of academic research projects and a number of PhD and master’s degrees have been done in the laboratory. 

She says: “Postgraduate students work in the sensory lab under supervision of the sensory analyst. They personally recruit panellists on the campus, referred to as 'convenience sampling'. These assistants do the preparation for the tasting, preparing up to 500 individual samples for a test that has 100 panellists and five products.  They attend to the panellists, serve the samples, collect and decode ballot sheets, and enter data into Excel for statistical analysis.”

More than 20 accredited scientific articles have already been published from research done in this laboratory.

News Archive

Internationally acclaimed academic applauded on Africa Day
2011-06-02

 
 Prof. Ali Mazrui, an internationally acclaimed and renowned academic.

One of the world’s top academics was given a warm welcome in the rather cold Free State recently.

Prof. Ali Mazrui, an internationally acclaimed and renowned academic, visited us as part of our Africa Day celebrations as arranged by the Centre for Africa Studies. He delivered a keynote address, entitled ‘Pro-democracy uprisings in an African experience: from Sharpeville to Benghazi.’

A festive atmosphere and the sound of drums welcomed this intellectual giant as well as other delegates upon their arrival at the CR Swart Auditorium on our Bloemfontein Campus. Some of the delegates who attended the Africa Day Celebrations, included: Mr Tom Amolo, High Commissioner from the Republic of Kenya; Mr Dan Kgothule, MEC of Arts and Culture in the province; Prof. Jeff and Dr Carla Ramsdell, visitors from America; Dr Allan Boesak and Prof. Nicky Morgan, Vice-Rector: Operations.

Prof. Frederick Fourie, former Vice-Chancellor and Rector of our university, also attended the celebrations, as did some scholars from neighboring schools.

Welcoming Prof. Mazrui, Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of our university, quipped that he was relieved the world had not ended the previous weekend as was predicted, because he was looking forward to listening to such a renowned intellectual.

Prof. Lucius Botes, Dean of Humanities, followed Prof. Jansen at the podium. He said the ability to go from following a bridging course to being one of the top 100 intellectuals in the world, indeed distinguishes Prof. Mazrui as an exceptional academic. This intellectual is, among others, an Albert Luthuli Professor at the University of Jos, Nigeria and Andrew D. Professor Emeritus and Senior Scholar in Africana Studies at Cornell University.

In his introduction, Prof. Mazrui said he feels honored and flattered by this opportunity. He proceeded by referring to the history of Africa Day and added that he would rather prefer an Africa Week to an Africa Day to ensure that everybody has the opportunity to celebrate the continent.

He sang the praises of South Africa, as almost every other African country which attained liberation from European colonial rule in the 20th century, has been unable to maintain its democratic order beyond its first decade of independence.

“The Republic of South Africa, on the other hand, liberated Nelson Mandela in 1990, held its first democratic election in 1994, and already has its third president. Nearly two decades after Apartheid, South Africa has not outlawed opposition parties, or experienced a military coup, or permitted the Head of State to govern the country as a dictator.”

In his speech he compared the uprisings in Sharpeville during 1960 and Soweto during 1976 with the more recent pro-democracy uprisings in North Africa, based on the role that weapons and the lack thereof, as well as the youth and women played in the respective cases.

He concluded by saying the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt have already resulted in ousting dictators who had been entrenched in power for decades, adding that in Libya a third dictator’s future is on the line. “Never in the history of the Arabs have there been so many popular uprisings which seem to be inspired neither by Islam nor by anti-imperialism, but in the quest for liberal reforms. Half a century earlier in Sharpeville and Soweto, South Africans experienced their own political awakening.”

Prof. Kwandiwe Kondlo, Director of the Centre for Africa Studies, closed the event with a word of thanks to the American academic and his wife, guests and attendees. He said discussions prior to the event revealed that more research has to be done regarding gender issues on the continent.

Prof. Mazrui also participated in conversations at the institute and a media briefing which was hosted earlier the day.

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