2.5.4. Sensory evaluation
For the sensory evaluation, a group of 12 panelists was trained. Two
training sessions (2 h each) were performed. At these sessions, the
description of the colour, odour and flavour attributes of the processed
chicken meat were studied. After the description of the attributes,
reference standards (Table 1) were presented to the panelists to
delimit the ends of the scale in the evaluation of the samples. The
objective of this training was to evaluate the possible alterations
caused by the addition of the extracts and by the lipid oxidation on the
colour, flavour and odour of the product. During the experiment, the
panelists were trained to recall the reference standards that were used.
The trained panel evaluated the products after processing and after
three, six and nine months of freezing. At each storage time, the
panelists evaluated the product in two replications. Five samples per
session were presented to the panelists that were coded with random
numbers of three digits. For the analysis of flavour and odour
alterations, the samples were cut into cubes of uniform size and
heated in a microwave (10 s). Regarding the colour alteration, whole
samples were presented with only the surface layer removed of the
product for better visualisation of the inner colour. The panelists
evaluated the samples for colour, flavour and odour alterations using a
10 point unstructured scale ranging from absent (0) to intense (10).