title: Noise and accustomation: A pilot study of trained assessors' olfactory performance.
abstract: While recent studies suggest an influence of noise on olfactory performance, it is unclear as to what extent the influence varies between subjects who are accustomed to noise and those who are not. Two groups of panelists were selected: a University panel usually working under silent conditions and an abattoir panel usually working on the slaughter line with abattoir noise. Odor discrimination, odor identification, and odor detection thresholds were studied. Furthermore, a sensory quality control task using 40 boar samples was performed. All tests were accomplished both with and without extraneous noise recorded at an abattoir (70 dB) using headphones. Contrary to the researchers' expectations, abattoir noise hardly affected the olfactory tests nor was the quality control task impaired. Abattoir noise did not influence the perceived intensity of boar taint and the classification results of the testers, regardless of whether they were accustomed to such noise or not. The results indicate that sensory quality control can be conducted in a manufacturing environment with constant noise without diminishing the assessors' performance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, Meat Science Group, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Trautmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, Meat Science Group, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Meier-Dinkel
authors.affiliation: Institute of Applied Stochastics and Operations Research, Clausthal, University of Technology, Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gertheiss
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, Meat Science Group, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8235-4635
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mörlein
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000737:chemistry; D000328:Adult; D000738:Androsterone / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000592:standards; D008875:Middle Aged; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009812:Odorants; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012684:Sensory Thresholds; D012862:Skatole / Q000032:analysis; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D012862:Skatole; D000738:Androsterone