Technical services

Sensory Services

Our sensory facilities in Rotherham are available for both sensory testing services and specialised training courses. 

Sensory evaluation is a valuable tool used throughout the product lifecycle, from quality control and shelf-life assessment to benchmarking and understanding consumer preferences. Effective sensory testing relies on clear objectives, robust experimental design, appropriate statistical analysis, and ethical practices to generate meaningful data that supports informed decision-making. 

Our services provide insights into consumer acceptance, product quality, and market positioning including:

• Hedonic and descriptive testing
• Competitor benchmarking
• Shelf-life studies

All testing is conducted in ISO 8589-compliant sensory rooms, with mobile consumer testing available across the UK and Europe.

Sensory Solutions Courses

Sensory Evaluation – Foundation Level Course

Accredited by the Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST), our foundation level sensory evaluation course is designed for individuals new to sensory science or those seeking to build a solid foundation in the field. This course introduces the core principles of sensory evaluation, including the role of human senses, sensory methodologies, and best practices for conducting assessments. Upon completion, participants have the opportunity to sit an exam and earn a recognised qualification in sensory evaluation at foundation level.

Audit Services

In today’s competitive food industry, food safety isn’t just about compliance—it’s essential for your business’s success. Whether you’re in retail, running a restaurant, or managing a manufacturing facility, ALS Auditing ensures you meet the highest standards of hygiene and safety.

ALS delivers comprehensive, tailored reports with clear, actionable recommendations to meet your specific needs. Our expert guidance is practical and easy to understand, helping to improve processes and reduce risk. Following an audit, ALS can provide ongoing support to implement improvements and conduct follow-up audits to ensure sustained progress.

Cooking Validation Services

We offer UKAS accredited back of pack cooking instruction generation and verification to ensure a safe, ready to eat product is consistently produced. Trials are conducted by our experienced team to determine the optimum time/temperature combinations with regards to both food safety and the desired quality attributes of the cooked product.

Our purpose-built facility is equipped with a range of appliances for performing cooking validation trials including:

• Gas and electric ovens
• Induction hobs
• Microwaves
• Deep fat fryers
• Air fryers
• Grills

Our team will provide support and guidance to ensure the most appropriate testing is performed to meet your requirements. Following the cooking validation process we provide a detailed report with the options to include cold spot testing and organoleptic evaluation to ensure the end consumer enjoys your product at the intended quality.