The Basics of Sensory Calibration with New England RCA

Date: September, 10th

Time: 11:00am Eastern Time

Location: Virtual

Session Overview:

Reducing bias and ensuring alignment among any team tasked with product evaluation is critical.  Ensuring the entire team speaks the same language is the first step to calibrating and building an attribute scale.  Shared vernacular reduces friction and improves the type of feedback the team can deliver.  During this training event, Nancy Jo will walk through how to align a team to build a common lexicon and work with the group on the two most basic calibration areas: sweet and salty.  The exercise can be easily repeated to enhance your group’s expertise. This will be the initial steps in creating a trained panel suitable for any setting.

 To participate virtually, you will need to purchase a bag of Lays Barbecue Potato Chips and a packet of Ken’s Ranch Dressing. For the calibration exercise you will need water, sugar, salt, some equally sized cups and a marker. We will provide instructions on how to set up the salty and sugary concentrations once attendees sign up. Zoom participants will be directed into smaller breakout sessions for discussion during the event. It’s also encouraged to bring a coworker with you to practice this calibration approach.

Virtual attendees will have the option of requesting samples for pungency after the event.

11:00-12:00pm Nancy Jo Presentation + Introduction to Team Calibration Techniques.

12:00-1:00pm Participants tasting samples of sweet, salty, pungent and implementing learnings. 

Speakers:

Nancy Jo Seaton, Founder & President, Seaton Food Consultants, A Food Quality and Solution Innovator

A life spent in food has afforded Nancy Jo a unique perspective on product quality. Her many diverse roles across the food spectrum has allowed her to pioneer an innovative and customized approach to product evaluation. Combining organoleptic assessment with good lab practices she has successfully executed this evaluation system for many years.

Applicable to retail food items, foodservice products, small wares and equipment, the process delivers an all-encompassing depiction of the target. Straightforward reporting includes sensory assessment and benchmarking for quick and comprehensive decision-making, specification creation and co-manufacturer guidance.

In addition to assessment she and her expert team can offer practical advice to alter or correct any issue uncovered. Skilled at project management, she has led many teams to creative and fruitful solutions, quickly.

Nancy Jo led the global product evaluation effort at Subway Restaurants and has worked with countless global food brands throughout her career including Chiquita, Unilever, Conagra and more.

Event Contact: Carmella Neiswender - cneiswender@kalsec.com

Yes to CEU

RCA Disclosures:

Contact Information: By registering for this event, you consent to the sharing of your contact information (such as name, email address, and company) with the event’s sponsors. This information will be shared exclusively with sponsors for purposes related to the event and will not be shared with other attendees or third parties.

Photographs and Videos: During this event, RCA may take photographs and/or video of you which may be posted to social media and on the association’s website. By registering for and attending this event, you agree to the use of image in photographs and/or video for this purpose. Additionally, other event attendees may take photographs and post said photographs to social media. RCA shall not be responsible for photographs taken and/or shared by other event attendees.

Session Recordings: This session may be recorded for the purpose of education, training, and use in RCA’s Learning Library. The recording will be used for this stated purpose and shall not be used for any other purpose. Do not share information that you do not wish to be recorded.  If you are uncomfortable being recorded, please refrain from speaking and submit questions via email.