People like to eat foods that taste good. In other words, they have good sensory qualities. We have smell, taste, and visual receptors that enable us to evaluate how food tastes. Foods have several characteristics that can be evaluated in sensory tests. These characteristics include flavor, texture, aroma, appearance, and sometimes noise.
Sensory tests measure preferences or acceptability.
How any food is cooked affects its sensory qualities. Many Americans frequently consume less than adequate quantities of many vitamins and minerals. They also typically consume more than recommended levels of saturated fats and cholesterol. Many people are now steaming or microwaving their vegetables instead of boiling them. They believe that this retains more vitamins and minerals.