Role of score-deviation, hedonic and fuzzy logic sensory approaches for the development and identification of optimal vegetable mix soups

The article aims to mature understanding in the confidence levels ascertained in alternate sensory evaluation techniques (9-point hedonic scale, fuzzy logic and novel score-deviation sensory evaluation techniques) and for the identification of optimal soup mix formulations. Seven alternate formulations with varied proportions of vegetable mix, corn flour and spice mix were evaluated for various sensory parameters. The findings of all three sensory evaluation techniques affirmed that the formulation (WE2) with 50% vegetable mix, 20% corn flour, 30% spice mix and reconstitution ratio of 1:22 (dry mix: water) has been the best. The score-deviation method based highest score (81.35) and lowest deviation-index (17.79) being achieved for the WE2 formulation affirmed greater acceptability of the WE2 sample and better uniformity among the sensory parameters. The score-deviation method also revealed that the taste-index exhibited its maximum weightage (46.67) to the overall score. This is followed by the aroma-index and physical-index. Further, fuzzy logic analysis method affirmed that the aftertaste is a highly important sensory parameter. This is due to its sensitive influence upon the overall acceptance in terms of similarity index value but not weightage of the assessed samples. Further, 9-point hedonic scale method affirmed highest overall acceptability (8.1) of WE2 formulation. However, such an affirmation has not been conclusive to the weightage or preference of individual sensory parameters. In summary, the score-deviation method and fuzzy logic analysis method provided better inferences in assessing the significance of various sensory parameters and their sensitive influence upon the overall acceptance of the samples. Among these two methods, the score-deviation method out performed and demonstrated an added advantage in terms of the uniformity of the assessed scores of various individual sensory parameters and overall acceptability score parameter.