The Scientific Method and Sensory Evaluation

In our lives, we use problem-solving or the Scientific Method and we may not even realize it!

Quick Glance: Scientific Method

Have you recently had a problem you tried to solve? Did you lose or misplace something?

In our lives, we use problem-solving or the Scientific Method and we may not even realize it! Anytime a problem comes upon us in life we may try to fix the problem by brainstorming possible solutions to it and trying them out. This is a simplified version of what Developers and Food Scientists use daily in their work to find new and improved food products. Making Observations, asking questions, and formulating a Hypothesis are part of the beginning stages. At this point, they may need to alter the food or proceed to the next step.

Explore

In the last module, you learned about development and the many steps involved with creating a new product. Often, there are other scientific processes that are involved with this. The scientific method is one of those methods used to research and define a need in the food market. This method can help a developer or scientist work through observations and data to answer the question or need and hopefully, reach a positive conclusion.

Next, the company may conduct tests and studies and receive data from these tests. All of this goes into developing the final product. Much of this you reviewed in the module before, but the Scientific Method provides a solid testing and research tool for the industry.

Make an observation --> ask a question --> form a hypothesis that answers the question --> make a prediction based on the hypothesis --> do an experiment to test the prediction --> analyze the result --> report results

Take a look at the video below to get an overview and a better understanding of how this process happens.

In following the scientific method, we first make an observation and then ask a question.
Observation: Apples are different sizes.
Question: Why do some grow larger than others? Early in the 1600’s an influential gentleman named Francis Bacon published some of his first ideas about the Scientific Method. It has since been expanded upon by Scientists after him. Even though the graphic above shows exact steps, sometimes this process has to be altered depending on what is being tested. Looking at these steps a little more closely, one can see how it would be a helpful format and process in food development and testing.

Question- I love to eat apples. But, why are do some grow larger than others?

The Steps of the Scientific Method

The following steps make up the scientific method - click on each step to learn more.

Challenge

So do you think you understand the scientific method? Try the challenge below to test your knowledge.

Takeaway: What Is Your Takeaway?

The discovery of Penicillin using the Scientific Method

Sir Alexander Fleming was studying Staphylococcus (Staph) bacteria growing in culture dishes. He noticed that a type of mold called Penicillium was also growing in some of the dishes. An area around the Penicillium mold was clear of Staph. The Staph had died. He tested this theory by using the Scientific Method to see if this type of mold killed bacteria-based infections. He was correct and a new medicine was found!

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