HSN223 - Sensory Evaluation of Food
Unit details
| Year | 2025 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 1: Burwood (Melbourne) |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 1: Russell Keast |
| Cohort rule: | This unit is only available to students enrolled in D301, D304, D311, D321, D331, D391, H300, H315, H318 and S320. Other students who would like to enrol in this unit must submit their request to Student Adviser in Student Central. Enrolment quotas apply. |
| Prerequisite: | HSN104 or SLE133 or SLE155 |
| Corequisite: | Must be enrolled in or have previously successfully completed HSN010 |
| Incompatible with: | HSN313 |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment: | 1 x 2 hour lecture per week - 1 hour lecture, 1 hour online, 2 x 2 hour seminar, 3 x 2 hour practical experiences (laboratory) during trimester. |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. This will include educator guided online learning activities within the unit site. |
Content
Sensory evaluation is a tool used to measure human response to a variety of stimuli. Students gain knowledge on the types of sensory evaluation methods that are commonly used and application of the methods in both product development and human nutrition. Students develop skills in implementing and analysing basic sensory tests. Topics include: discrimination testing, descriptive analysis, hedonic testing, individual differences in perception, food quality perception, and product development. Knowledge and skills obtained through this unit are important for students who seek employment in the food industry (e.g. product developers, brand builders, consumer marketing insight manager, and sensory panel leader), nutrition and health related organisations (e.g. Nutrition Australia) and research (e.g. market research agency, sensory and consumer scientist, food scientist and market analyst).
Learning Outcomes
| ULO | These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Explain the role of sensory evaluation in food and nutrition sciences. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO2 | Explain how the flavour of a food relates to consumer preferences and consumption. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO3 | Describe the set up and design for each of the three major classes of sensory evaluation methods (difference, description and hedonic). | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO4 | Explain in what situation you would use each of the three major classes of sensory evaluation methods and the type of questions they answer. | GLO3: Digital literacy |
| ULO5 | Interpret basic statistics to gain greater understanding of data. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO6 | Analyse and interpret the peer-reviewed published literature in critical analysis and discussion of sensory, flavour, and health issues. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO7 | Justify your choice of sensory methodology to solve a real world problem. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
Assessment
Trimester 1:| Assessment description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Sensory laboratory and laboratory write-up | 2000 words | 50% |
|
| Assessment 2: Practical test | 15 minutes | 20% |
|
| Assessment 3: End-of-Unit Assessment | 90 minutes | 30% |
|
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning resource
The texts and reading list for HSN223 can be found via the University Library.
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Unit Fee Information
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current Students website.