What does sensory discrimination testing aim to determine?

Sensory discrimination testing specifically focuses on the ability to detect differences between products. This type of testing is crucial in sensory evaluation because it helps to identify whether consumers or trained panelists can perceive variations in characteristics such as taste, aroma, or texture. The goal is to establish whether two samples are different from each other in a statistically significant way, which is essential for quality control and product refinement in food and beverage industries.

While the other options relate to sensory assessment, they focus on different aspects. Identifying flavors pertains more to sensory identification rather than discrimination, ranking product preferences deals with hedonic testing (liking) rather than synthetic comparison, and assessing texture variety is related to specific texture attributes rather than general discrimination capabilities. Thus, the primary aim of sensory discrimination testing is effectively captured by the ability to detect differences between products.