Therefore, incorporating physiological and emotional reactions into sensory analysis is essential to mitigating biases that hinder effective product development in the food and beverage industry.  
Among these innovations, intelligent and biometric technologies are gaining increasing attention in sensory analysis. Initially, it was found that the number of experienced experts was limited and that emotional tendencies and subjective biases could influence their judgments. To address this, intelligent sensory techniques that mimic human sensory organs are becoming more prevalent. Additionally, sensory analysis is now widely used for consumer testing, with biometric techniques gaining attention for capturing consumers' unconscious responses to food stimuli [5,6].  
Moreover, the application of sensory analysis differs between laboratory and industrial settings. Time and labor constraints are often overlooked in laboratory environments, whereas these factors are crucial in real-world production. As a result, sensory analysis methods are evolving to become faster, more efficient, and less influenced by subjective bias. This highlights the need to develop intelligent instruments capable of performing sensory analysis without human intervention [5,6].  
Recent advances in sensory testing have introduced tools like Virtual Reality (VR) to help food scientists evaluate product design, labeling, placement, and store layout while gaining deeper consumer insights [7]. Virtual reality immerses users in simulated environments, engaging multiple senses through visual, auditory, and tactile stimuli. A key application is consumer sensory testing, which allows researchers to study food experiences and shopping behavior in virtual settings [8]. However, validating VR studies is crucial to ensuring their reliability compared to real-life scenarios.  
[PERSON] et al. [9] investigated the validity of VR by having participants rank cereals based on perceived healthiness in both VR and real-life environments. The results showed a strong correlation between the rankings in both settings, although the tasks in VR took longer. Information-seeking behavior remained similar across environments, confirming VR's potential as a reliable tool for sensory research.  
Digital technologies include electronic and digital data acquisition, storage, and analysis tools. Many emerging digital technologies rely on remote sensing or non-contact, non-invasive methods, such as video and infrared thermal imaging, to collect information. The primary goal of these technologies is to eliminate the need for contact-based or invasive sensors, which can introduce bias by making panelists overly aware of the assessment process. This heightened awareness can lead to stress and distraction, ultimately affecting their focus on the sensory tasks [10]. This reduces bias in the emotional interpretation of data, even among trained individuals conducting double-masked assessments, and these technologies enhance the reliability of sensory research [11]. The objective is not to replace consumers or trained sensory panels but to integrate advanced methods into food and beverage production processes, enabling real-time adjustments and improvements.  
This review explores the current trends in digital approaches to the sensory analysis of food products.