F R A U N H O F E R I N S T I T U T E F O R P R O C E S S E N G I N E E R I N G A N D PA C K A G I N G I V V
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1 Response to visual cues via eye
tracking.
2 ECG and GSR measurement
probes.
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PHYSIOLOGY – MONITORING
HUMAN RESPONSES TO
ODOR EXPOSURE
Fraunhofer Institute for
Odors can elicit specific responses in
For example, certain odors can produce
Process Engineering and
humans, often at a subconscious level.
a calming response whereas others can
Packaging IVV
Humans respond to olfactory cues in
elicit stress. The physiological response of
different ways depending on sensitivity to
a subject to an odor or odorant can be
Giggenhauser Strasse 35
specific odorants, hedonic rating and past
monitored instrumentally via a variety of
85354 Freising
experiences. Each of these aspects can play
biofeedback parameters. Furthermore,
an important role in consumers’ product
visual methods like eye tracking can pro-
preferences and acceptance, which are
vide additional information on consumers’
essential factors for a food product today.
attraction to a product. As such, physiologi-
Dr Jonathan Beauchamp
An odor compound is perceived when it
cal and behavioral assessments are a useful
Phone +49 8161 491-214
reaches the olfactory epithelium, either via
tool to complement chemical analyses of
jonathan.beauchamp@
the orthonasal pathway, i.e. when actively
a sample to ascertain specific responses of
ivv.fraunhofer.de
smelling, or retronasally, e.g. when consu-
consumers to a product.
Contact
ming food. Depending on odor acceptance,
the body can react very differently from one
odor to the next.
www.ivv.fraunhofer.de
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Expertise
•Skin conductance via galvanic skin
What we offer
response (GSR) measurements, which
The Department of Sensory Analytics at
characterizes the degree of stress eli-
We offer a wide range of services to suit
Fraunhofer IVV has in-depth knowledge of
cited on a subject, e.g. in relation to
most odor-related issues and are equally
the physiological and psychological princip-
exposure to an unpleasant (increase
available for consultation on customized
les of human odor and taste perception.
in stress) or pleasant (calming effect)
solutions. Our expertise includes:
We offer a wide range of instrumental methods and human sensory techniques for
odor
•Eye tracking using a state-of-the-art
•Human sensory evaluation of food
odors and taste, and packaging odors
•Assessing the physiological and
characterizing a large variety of odors and
eye tracker, which is used to evaluate
odorants. To make these analyses complete,
the interest of a subject to a specific
behavioral response of consumers to
physiological testing methodologies have
target in comparison to other objects
odors or specific odorants using standard parameters and mimic analysis
been added to our analytical repertoire.
•Combined instrumental and sensory
The benefits to you
Physiological test parameters
foods and packaging using gas chro•We have broad experience in sensory
A variety of physiological parameters can
analysis of odor-active compounds in
analysis
matography (GC) with flame ionization
detection (GC-FID), olfactometry
provide an insight into the (involuntary) re-
•Our team has in-depth knowledge of
(GC-O), mass spectrometry (GC-MS), or
sponse of a person to a particular odorant
the physiological and psychological
a combination of these (GC-MS/O and
or odor profile, e.g. of a specific product.
principles of human odor and taste
2D-GC-MS/O)
We monitor the following parameters for
our routine physiological tests:
• Heart rate and amplitude via electrocardiogram (ECG) measurements,
which provides a measure of the degree
of relaxation of a subject, as well as
perception
of odorants in real-time via proton-
possesses in-depth expertise in
transfer-reaction mass spectrometry
sensory testing and comprehensive
(PTR-MS)
chemical-analytical techniques
•Our laboratory facilities are equipped
arousal in response to a stimulus, e.g.
with state-of-the-art analytical
an olfactory or visual cue
instrumentation
•Respiratory rate and amplitude by
methods and specialized test proce-
nares of a subject via a nasal cannula,
dures, individually adapted to your
which allows the response of an odor
specific needs
acceptance or aversion
•Customized consumer studies using
audio and/or video immersion with
masked odor presentation
•We have skills in developing novel
detecting small pressure changes at the
to be monitored, e.g. in relation to
•Simultaneous in vivo monitoring
•You have access to a group that
•Our team works inter-departmentally
within Fraunhofer IVV as well as
with different institutes throughout
1 Monitoring physiological
the extensive Fraunhofer network,
parameters during odorant
offering an excellent source of
stimulation.
inter-disciplinary expertise. This is
2 Eye tracking and mimic
reinforced by our close ties with
analysis.
universities and companies