Classical descriptive analysis

Classical or generic descriptive analysis (DA) is the gold standard technique in sensory science (Lawless and Heymann 2010). The method allows the experimenter to describe all the sensory attributes associated with a product and sensory differences among products. The technique is used extensively, particularly in the food, beverage, and personal care industries, as can be seen from a few examples published in 2012 on food products (Alasalvar et al. 2012; Cakir et al. 2012; Elmaci and Onogur 2012; Paulsen et al. 2012; Zeppa et al. 2012), beverages (Garcia-Carpintero et al. 2012; Keenan et al. 2012; Ng et al. 2012; Parker et al. 2012; Sokolowsky and Fischer 2012), and other consumer products (Bacci et al. 2012; Verriele et al. 2012).