Paired comparisons for the evaluation of crispness of cereal flakes by untrained assessors: correlation with descriptive analysis and acoustic measurements

This study investigates the effectiveness of the paired comparison method in the evaluation of a complex sensory attribute by untrained assessors. The crispness perception of cereal flakes by a panel of 100 consumers is measured using a complete block design, and the fitting of the Bradley–Terry–Luce model leads to a ranking of the samples on a crispness intensity scale. A log–linear formulation of the Bradley model provides insight into goodness‐of‐fit tests and allows the effects of covariates to be incorporated in the prediction of the sensory scores. Results show a high correlation between crispness assessment by consumers and rating of texture attributes by trained assessors. Acoustic emission is shown to have a significant effect on crispness perception, and the power spectra of signals recorded during compression provide a prediction of the crispness of cereal flakes. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.