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Leaving Cert Home Economics: Sensory analysis

How often Sensory analysis comes up on the Home Economics papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

HL Asked on 2 of the last 10 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2023.

Sensory analysis, Higher Level(7 marks)

Quick ones on Sensory analysis.

(a)Test where tasters get three samples, two identical, and pick the odd one out?
  1. Hedonic ranking test
  2. Triangle test
  3. Profiling test
(b)Which of these is a preference test?
  1. Paired comparison test
  2. Triangle test
  3. Paired preference test
(c)Why are samples labelled with random three-digit codes?
  1. So the labels do not bias the tasters
  2. To show the price of each sample
  3. So the samples stay fresh
Show the answers

(a) Triangle test

(b) Paired preference test

(c) So the labels do not bias the tasters

Your turn: Higher Level questions on Sensory analysis.

Higher Level

Asked on 2 of the last 10 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2023.

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2026Not asked
2025Not asked
2024Not asked
2023A8
2022Not asked
2021Not asked
2019Not asked
2018Not asked
2017Q3
2016Not asked

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Sensory analysis questions

Sensory analysis, 2 marks

Why do tasters sip water between samples?

  1. To help them digest the food between each sample
  2. To cool the samples down so they can be tasted safely
  3. To clear the palate so one taste does not affect the next
Show the answer

To clear the palate so one taste does not affect the next

Plain water or an unsalted cracker removes traces of the last sample, so each one is judged on its own.

Sensory analysis, 3 marks

Use of a star diagram in sensory analysis?

  1. To record which sample was the odd one out in a triangle test
  2. To show a profile of attributes such as sweetness and crunchiness
  3. To rank the samples from the cheapest to the dearest
Show the answer

To show a profile of attributes such as sweetness and crunchiness

In a profiling (descriptive) test, trained tasters score each attribute and plot them as a star or spider web diagram.

Sensory analysis, 3 marks

A use of sensory analysis in the food industry?

  1. Checking that a reduced-salt recipe still tastes acceptable
  2. Measuring the exact vitamin and mineral content of a new product
  3. Counting the bacteria on a production line each day
Show the answer

Checking that a reduced-salt recipe still tastes acceptable

It is used in product development, quality control, comparing with rival brands and checking shelf life.

Other Home Economics topics

All of Leaving Cert Home Economics