Abstract
The aim of this work was to investigate how useful the Rate-All-That-Apply (RATA) method with naïve consumers is to profile a wide range of wines and how the sensory profiles obtained compare to those of classical descriptive analysis (DA). For this purpose, two studies were conducted. Study 1 presents preliminary work comparing the discrimination ability of RATA, undertaken by 84 naïve consumers, with a traditional DA using 11 trained panelists, in which the vocabulary lists remained the same across methods and assessment was based on a set of 6 red table wines (6 different varieties). Study 2 aimed to further elucidate the discrimination ability of RATA using 71 naïve consumers compared to traditional DA. It expands on Study 1 by increasing the number of samples assessed (12 white table wines, 6 varieties) and varying the vocabulary between methods (RATA used a generic white wine attribute list vs panel generated attribute list for the DA). In addition, similarity of sample configuration in the sensory space between RATA and DA was assessed by means of Multiple Factor Analysis (MFA) and RV coefficients.
The results of both studies showed high similarities in sample discrimination ability (in terms of number of attributes significantly discriminating amongst samples) between RATA and DA. Furthermore, the MFA indicated high agreement in sample configuration between RATA and DA, reinforced by highly significant RV coefficients of 0.97 for Study 1 and 0.92 for Study 2, respectively. Overall, this supports the trend towards more consumer centric approaches for sensory profiling and suggests that RATA could be a valid, accurate and rapid addition to existing profiling methods used for wine.
- consumer
- descriptive analysis
- multiple factor analysis (MFA)
- rapid sensory profiling
- Rate-All-That-Apply (RATA)
- sensory characterization
- Received June 2017.
- Revision received August 2017.
- Accepted August 2017.
- Published online September 2017
- ©2017 by the American Society for Enology and Viticulture
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