During the QDA test, each panellist received a blind coded sample
in two replicates. The samples were randomized in order to
minimize the carry over and order effects. For every attribute,
the assessors scored the product on a 0–9 category scale, anchored
with the words ‘none’ and ‘high.’ Although Stone and Sidel (2004)
chose a linear scale to perform the QDA analysis and Lawless and
Heymann (2010) recommend a 6 in. (or 15 cm) scale with anchor
words, a 0–9 category scale was used here. This was requested
by the panel in order to better place the reference samples on
the scale. Since it is the relative difference among the samples that
is important (Lawless & Heymann, 2010), the researchers accepted
this alteration. The evaluation was carried out at the UGent Senso-
Lab, a sensory laboratory. Each assessor was required to undertake
the tests in an individual booth. The panel used filtered water and/
or plain crackers as palate cleansers between the samples.