Appendix A
Terms Used in Evaluating Food Products
Visual Evaluation
Appearance: aspect or contour
broken
frothy
rough
smooth
cloudy
greasy
scum
sparkling
clear
lustrous
sediment
stringy
crumble
muddy
shiny
translucent
curdled
opaque
shriveled
dull
plump
shrunken
Color: normal for substance, pleasing to the eye
bright
faded
normal
snowy
white
creamy
gray
off-color
yellow
discolored
greenish
pale
dull
golden
brown
rich
Shape: proportionate dimensions
broken
irregular
thick
even
oval
thin
flat
round
uneven
Size
irregular
medium
uniform
large
small
Grain: structural quality; such as crystals in candies and ice creams, size of pores in cake and bread, thickness of cell walls in breads or cakes
amorphous
fine
granular
coarse
foamy
heavy
crystalline
grainy
porous
Flavor Characteristics
Odor: volatile substances affecting sense of smell
acid
burnt
fragrant
weak
acrid
delicate
strong
Taste: sensations produced by substances listed
bitter
salty
sweet
sour
Flavor: a quality that affects the relish, zest, or savor. Combination of taste and odor
astringent
delicate
raw
starchy
bland
flat
rich
stimulating
blended
mellow
scorched
strong
brisk
pungent
stale
tasteless
burned
Mouthfeel and Texture Characteristics
Consistency: degree of firmness, density, viscosity, fluidity, plasticity, resistant to movement
brittle
frothy
runny
soggy
crisp
full-bodied
syrupy
hard
crumbly
gummy
solid
mealy
curdled
liquid
stiff
thin
firm
rubbery
soft
Lightness: well-leavened, not dense; having low specific gravity
fluffy
light in weight for size
porous
Moistness: degree of moisture. In fruits and meats called juiciness
dry
moist
water
Tenderness: ease with which can be cut, broken, pulled apart or masticated
tender
tough
Texture: feel of substance between fingers or in the mouth; differences caused by grain, tenderness, moisture content, etc.
granular
oily
smooth
chewy
limp
pasty
soggy
fibrous
lumpy
rubbery
sugary
firm
mealy
slimy
stringy
grainy
mushy
