Selection, training and validation process of a sensory panel for bread analysis: Influence of cultivar on the quality of breads made from common wheat and spelt wheat

• A protocol of selection, training and validation of the members of the panel for bread sensory analysis is proposed.
• We evaluated sensory attributes of breads made with Triticum aestivum ssp. vulgare and ssp. spelta.
• Differences found in some sensory attributes have to be due to the cultivar used.
• We propose that sensory properties should be considered as breeding criteria for future work on genetic improvement.

A protocol of selection, training and validation of the members of the panel for bread sensory analysis is proposed to assess the influence of wheat cultivar on the sensory quality of bread. Three cultivars of bread wheat and two cultivars of spelt wheat organically-grown under the same edaphoclimatic conditions were milled and baked using the same milling and baking procedure. Through the use of triangle tests, differences were identified between the five breads. Significant differences were found between the spelt breads and those made with bread wheat for the attributes “crumb cell homogeneity” and “crumb elasticity”. Significant differences were also found for the odor and flavor attributes, with the bread made with ‘Espelta Navarra’ being the most complex, from a sensory point of view. Based on the results of this study, we propose that sensory properties should be considered as breeding criteria for future work on genetic improvement.