SENSORY QUALITY 101 Mean Score Lots-Nov/Dec 1992 Figure 4. Off-odor intensity: moisturizer with sunscreen. still learn-as-you-go crisis management. A better approach, more consistent with a total quality concept, is to get consumer input on tolerance limits and set specifications before a costly problem arises. Odor Grade--Mean Score 2.5 1.5h I 0.5l 0 Upper Specification Limit OCT NOV DEC JAN Raw Material Receipts/Month October 1992-February 1993 Figure 5. Control chart: sunscreen raw material odor grades. FEB

102 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS Mean Scores-Tackiness 3 I 0'5 f 0 • 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ø MODIFIED SUNSCREEN I ORIGINAL SUNSCREEN Figure 6. Product skinfeel--tackiness: moisturizing lotion with sunscreen. The main objective of establishing a manufacturing facility sensory program is to design an efficient and effective way to evaluate and control variability of key sensory attributes that are driving consumer appeal. This must necessarily include examination of the raw materials and processing steps that might affect the final sensory impression of the product. A Sensory QC program should include examination of all raw materials and key in-process samples, establishing ingredient as well as in-process sensory specifications on key materials, identifying reference standards for use in sensory quality assays, and establishing a management policy regarding the disposition and handling of marginal or subquality materials. If the emphasis and time spent on evaluation of raw materials seems excessive, it is important to understand what sensory contributions the raw materials make to the perception of the finished product. Also, in the longer term, it allows for the critical evaluation of a few raw materials that have been identified as key influencers of sensory character rather then allowing for complex troubleshooting evaluations of the finished product. This approach helps to build in quality rather than taking expensive emergency remedial steps to repair a poor-quality product to make it marketable. The most compelling reason to monitor sensory performance on a regular basis is that experience has shown that an out-of-spec product will very often result in a negative consumer response and lowered acceptability. Once consumer confidence is undermined, it is extremely difficult to get it back. Another reason to establish a sensory specification is that the naturally occurring variability, if left uncontrolled, represents too wide a range to be consistent with the intended product concept. The variables requiring control are the critical sensory parameters whose margins for error are very small. These parameters and their influence on consumer acceptability, as well as the prudence of controlling them, need to be clearly understood by management. Once management accepts and supports the concept of sensory quality, there are key