Descriptive terminology for the sensory evaluation of soy sauce

Although soy sauce is a globally used seasoning, its sensory properties have not been fully revealed. Here, the sensory characteristics of 149 soy sauces were examined using descriptive analyses. Eighty-eight attributes were identified and integrated them into a flavor wheel. Aroma was the sensory modality described most often, suggesting that soy sauce's aroma is likely important in characterizing its sensory quality. Nineteen out of 88 attributes were found in all soy sauces implying their importance in representing a soy sauce-like quality. These 19 attributes allowed the discrimination of manufacturing methods and the successful generation of a comparison map. Other attributes appeared infrequently, indicating that all soy sauces are unique and that these attributes can be utilized to describe subtle differences in their characters. Practical applicationSince soy sauce has become a globally used seasoning, it is meaningful to define its attributes for sensory evaluation. Establishing the sensory attributes of soy sauce allows us to describe each soy sauce objectively and share sensory perceptions among consumers, producers, and researchers. A flavor wheel would facilitate people's systematical understanding of the sensory characteristics of soy sauce. Also sensory evaluation using a flavor wheel would be helpful in finding previously unrecognized attractive or non-attractive characteristics in soy sauces, which ultimately affects purchase decisions. Defining the minimum attributes required for creating a soy sauce positioning map would save a great deal of time and money for product development. Finally, knowledge about the relationship between sensory qualities and the manufacturing process and/or production area would be helpful in regards to product development and purchasing decisions.