Of course, taste is not as easy, or as pleasant, as it may sound. People think, 'Oh, they get to eat lots of tasty dairy products,' but that's not exactly how it works. It takes skill to determine what's wrong with them. Lance Williams, a BYU graduate of the food science program, is a former member of the team. The training he received in sensory evaluation helps him in his responsibilities as a vendor quality assurance manager with the Tillamook County Creamery in Oregon, he says.
Most people can taste food that has something wrong with it and know that there's a problem.
But being able to identify what the problem is and knowing how to fix it is another thing. At Tillamook, Williams says quality assurance is a big deal. After all, no one likes to stab into a festive cheese ball only to have to reach for a red and green napkin seconds later to dispose of it. We have an entire staff that focuses on sensory work. Like Frewing, Williams says he has a hard time letting dairy products go by at a party without giving them a score.