The impact of the differences in human perspectives, ideas, and interpretations is visible in both product quality and production throughput on virtually a daily basis in many plants. This inconsistency is a critical driver causing companies to invest in additional automation. Automation reduces human decisions points, which can be the source of substantial production inconsistencies. As the role of automation in plant operations grows, the role of control room operators changes. Without automation, operators spent a significant amount of time making control moves and adjustments. With automation, the operator primarily monitors performance and looks for opportunities to maximize plant performance. In addition, inconsistencies in production can lead to invention of new products accidentally but in most cases leads to harm.

Sensory Systems Provide Better-Tasting Products for Kraft

For example, Kraft Foods developed a sensory system to provide better and consistent testing of Kraft products. Sensory analysis and quality testing provide the tools formulators need to understand their products and compete in today’s highly competitive market.

Some of the uses of sensory analysis in manufacturing Industry
  • Product development
  • Studying effects of ingredients, formulation, and process on final product 
  • Measuring, predicting shelf life 
  • Quality control and quality assurance 
  • Competitor benchmarking 
  • Investigation and prediction of taints
Hence, Kraft manufacturing methods can be applied to Meat, Beverage, and Diary processing industry with equal success. Sensory analysis can characterize the impact of ingredients on dairy products for example. It can rationally and objectively provide information on the organoleptic functionalities of ingredients. As stated above, this can aid in new product development through innovation projects, to gather knowledge on ingredient functionalities, and to exchange knowledge with key customers and offer them technical support.

Different sensory tests (difference tests, ranking tests, descriptive analysis) can be offered to meet specific needs, such as detecting sensory differences between products (Vitamin D milk, light milk, yogurt) or quantifying the intensity of these differences, formulating a product, improving it, comparing it with other products or appreciating its conformity against a standard. Sensory data are always linked with statistical analyses in order to provide relevant results, and can be correlated with analytical data (key flavor compounds analyzed and texture parameters investigated by rheology, etc.).

So Kraft’s SENECA and PVR systems can help in ensuring the consistencies in production and marketing of such diary products. And since the consolidated information can be delivered throughout the entire organization at any time and from any location in the world, even while users are traveling, it’s a perfect fit. The decision-makers can then get the information they need sooner, improving their ability to manage the business.



References:

Guidance on Sensory Testing and Monitoring of Seafood for Presence of Petroleum Taint Following an Oil Spill: http://archive.orr.noaa.gov/oilaids/pdfs/seafood.pdf

Kraft Foods
http://www.kraft.com/default.aspx

UK food laboratory extends its sensory analysis capacity to take on new business.
http://www.foodqualitynews.com/news/ng.asp?id=62218-rssl-flavours-sensory-analysis