The Challenge of Balancing Speed and Sensory Rigor
In the healthy and fast-paced world of plant-based foods, innovation cycles are shorter, and expectations are higher. Sensory scientists are being asked to deliver faster insights without sacrificing accuracy. Traditional tools like Curion Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA®) provide unmatched depth, but the time and cost involved have teams looking for alternatives. The core question we set out to answer is this: Can faster methods still lead product teams in the right direction?
Putting the Methods to the Test
Curion and Impossible Foods designed a head-to-head comparative evaluation of three common sensory approaches: Curion QDA® with trained panelists, a semi-trained internal panel, and untrained consumers participating in a central location test. All panels assessed the same 10 plant-based patty products, using a shared lexicon of flavor and texture attributes. This controlled design ensured the comparisons would focus purely on the quality of each method’s data output.
The Curion QDA® panel used a 58-term consumer-derived lexicon and evaluated each sample in triplicate. The semi-trained panel consisted of internal R&D employees with minimal training. Meanwhile, consumer participants completed forced-choice evaluations in a paired-comparison format – rapid, but without any sensory training.
What the Data Revealed
In the results, we found that Curion QDA® delivered the most detailed and actionable results. It showed the clearest product differentiation and the most detailed understanding of sensory drivers. Product clusters were more distinct, and the methodology identified a greater number of high-priority attributes associated with consumer appeal.
When comparing results across methods, the semi-trained panel showed surprisingly strong alignment with Curion QDA® results. Several key attributes had correlations greater than 0.7, indicating that even limited training can result in more structured and reliable data than consumer testing alone.
In contrast, the consumer data was less consistent. It showed the weakest correlation with Curion QDA® and was inconsistent across several attributes. In a few cases, consumers rated attributes in direct opposition to the Curion QDA® panel, raising concerns about using untrained consumer responses as a substitute for structured sensory data.
Why This Should Reshape How We Work
These findings reaffirm that not all “fast” methods are equal. Curion QDA® remains the most rigorous and insightful method for sensory product characterization. However, for early-stage development, semi-trained panels offer a valuable compromise: faster than Curion QDA®, but more reliable than untrained consumer evaluations. For sensory professionals under pressure to deliver speed and accuracy, this approach offers a practical path forward.
Consumer choice-based data can be valuable for validation and preference testing, but its usefulness in fine-tuning sensory drivers and guiding formulation decisions is limited. Relying on this approach alone may result in overlooked opportunities or misguided conclusions.
A Smarter, Faster Way Forward
As a result of this work and findings, Curion is now introducing PROP Pulse powered by FlavorWiki, a new agile sensory tool. It leverages semi-trained panelists to deliver rapid, structured product insights with scientific integrity, helping teams move faster without guessing.
Authors: Rachel Orona (Curion), Isabelle Huang (Curion), Nikki Young (Impossible Foods)
To review the full methodology, statistical outputs, and comparative clustering visuals across methods, download the full study poster
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Curion specializes in delivering impactful insights to the world’s top CPG companies, helping them develop winning, repeatedly purchased products. Curion’s deep data-driven product insights, sensory expertise, and state-of-the-art consumer centers enable them to uncover responses to critical client objectives. With over five decades of experience in the product testing industry, Curion is dedicated to guiding clients with their proprietary XP Xperience Performance platform, connecting brands to consumers at every step.
An innovator in the industry, Curion recently developed a groundbreaking benchmarking product testing method, the Curion Score™, which has become a trusted and sought after tool within the industry. As one of the largest product and consumer insights companies in the U.S., Curion has built a reputation for excellence and trust among the world’s leading consumer brands. Curion’s commitment to innovation and expertise, coupled with a passion for delivering actionable insights, makes Curion a valuable partner for companies looking to develop and launch successful products.
