The HortiFood Processing Centre hosted the third training cycle for InHort researchers on 10–12 June 2025, as part of the HortiFoodTrends project. The training was led by experts from HortiFoodTrends project partners: Ronan Symoneaux from ESA and Michael Bom Frøst from the University of Copenhagen.

Participants learned how to conduct professional sensory evaluations using the QDA descriptive method and the product mapping method. Projective mapping is a sensory method in which participants arrange food samples on a two-dimensional surface according to their perceived similarity – the closer together the samples are placed, the more similar they are deemed to be. This method provides a quick way to understand how consumers perceive differences and similarities between products. Participants had the opportunity to identify the quality characteristics of French Magdalennes pastries and conduct a mapping exercise with dried cranberries.

In an international group of experts, we also discussed common directions for developing innovative berry-based products. It was an intense and inspiring exchange of knowledge!