Gail Vance Civille


Gail Vance Civille is a pioneer in advanced sensory evaluation approaches for industry, academia and government. She has been fundamental in the development of Flavor, Texture, Fragrance, Skinfeel, and Fabricfeel Spectrum Descriptive Analysis Methodology, and her protocols, reference scales, and methodologies provide the groundwork for sound analytical tools used by many in sensory science.

Background

Gail Vance was born in 1943 in Brooklyn, New York, where she lived for 24 years until she moved to Parsippany, New Jersey upon her 1967 marriage to Frank Civille. She grew up in a typical Mediterranean-American household: a family in which the grandmother, mother, and children had a great passion for food and for the pleasure it provided to the senses. In few words, "food was a religion," she has said; "Christmas dinner would last four hours." At her table, an appetizer would be served, then talked about, followed by another course and more talk. Her family was aware of not just what went into the meal, but what the textures were supposed to be like and why one dish was better than another.
After graduating from St. Saviour High School in Brooklyn, Civille attended the Riverdale, New York, where she received a B.S. in chemistry. She chose this field because she liked exact disciplines such as sciences, mathematics and chemistry, which she says always work because "they are based on facts."
She started her career in General Foods Corporation in 1965 as an associate sensory project leader, evaluating numerous types of products from the beginning to the end of their manufacture. She met her husband, a chemical engineer who also worked at GFC, when she offered him the opportunity to do a sensory evaluation for "egg custard".
She referred to her experience at GFC as "The Graduate School in Sensory Evaluation". During this time she discerned, under the mentoring of Elaine Z. Skinner, the importance of correlation among objective sensory, instrumental, product, and consumer opinion data collection.
In the early 1970s, while raising her children, Civille decided to move into the world of sensory analysis as an independent consultant, expanding the sensory world by applying her experience gained at GFC for the benefit of consumers. In 1970, she first taught at the "" at the , an organization dedicated to providing accredited technical training and continuing professional education to industry and government professionals worldwide. She has continued instructing this course for the last forty years.
After 16 years as an industry consultant, Civille founded on April 1, 1986. Sensory Spectrum, Inc. specializes in understanding the sensory-consumer and product understanding experience for the consumer product goods industry, academia and government. This approach links advanced sensory methods to consumer research and product development and improvement with the latest statistical analysis procedures to provide business and technical solutions for precise decision making.
In his book , Malcolm Gladwell cited Gail Vance Civille and her colleague Judy Heylmun, referring to the value of their know-how, by saying, "The gift of their expertise is that it allows them to have a much better understanding of what goes on behind the locked door of their unconscious."

Philosophy

Civille firmly believes that sensory science is more than conducting good tests and analyzing the results; for her, the optimum use of sensory science is the integration of business strategies and research objectives with the needs of the consumer to develop the right product with the best sensory delivery. In order to bridge these needs, the sensory scientist must work with R&D and Marketing to understand both the product capabilities and the consumer wants and needs and to marry the two. In the end, the strategic linking of product and consumer understanding provides the best opportunities for business success and consumer delight.
Civille compares sensory evaluation to other sciences by stating, "It's a sensory jolt every day. Tasting or smelling is like anthropology or archaeology. You're watching to see what unfolds in a product, discovering new things."

Sensory Stimulation and Food Design

The various ways that all five human senses become connected before, during, and after eating is defined as sensory stimulation. Civille is convinced that to comprehend the consumer's desire, it is necessary to consider the discrete sensory properties of a food and how those properties work together in the mouth, which is a critical part to designing a food that will be successful in the marketplace.
In the past, Civille says, eating was a single event: "a hamburger was a hamburger; you didn't have it loaded up with twenty levels of stimulation creating a multilayer event." In this day and age, the nature of food has changed to a far more elaborate structure that provides "more layers, more sensory cues, more sensory stimuli." Modern food and food products are designed to be complex, multisensorial; we eat them for sensation: "industry knows it and is trying to find the formulation that is going to make the greatest number of people want their products."

Research

As Founder and President of Gail Vance Civille has applied strategic business initiatives to R&D and Marketing projects which have impacted sensory science globally. Her fundamental design of the Flavor, Texture, Fragrance, Skinfeel and Fabricfeel Spectrum Descriptive Analysis Methodology, including references and protocols, is the foundation for sound analytical tools in sensory science. As an expert in the evaluation of sensory properties, Civille has worked with a vast variety of food, personal care and household products using refined consumer and descriptive techniques. As a course director for and the , she has created diverse, innovative workshops and courses in both basic and advanced sensory evaluation methods and theory, as well as consumer testing, panel leadership, quality control, and the management of sensory programs.

The Spectrum Descriptive Analysis Method

The principal characteristic of the method is that the panelists score the perceived intensities with reference to pre-learned, absolute intensity scales without regard to hedonic response or personal liking. The objective of the method is to make the resulting profiles universally understandable and usable anytime at any laboratory where panelists have been properly trained. The method provides for this purpose an array of standard attributes, each with its set of standards that define a scale of intensity from 0 to 15, which can be measured on a 15 cm line scale or simply recorded as a straight number. The method allows for use of other scaling schemes, following the principle that intensity strength is measured in the same way across attributes. The advantage of using a trained descriptive sensory panel is that resulting analytical sensory data allows full documentation of a sample's sensory properties that can be related to consumer responses and instrumental physical tests. The precision derives from strict protocols for manipulation and the use of accurately defined terms to discriminate and describe the qualitative properties and their relative intensities in each product.

Current Professional Affiliations

*
*
*

Newspaper

In July 2000, Gail Vance Civille along with Julia Lawlor presented the article " in the , which explains the principles of evaluating a product and training a food panelist. Evaluating is to concentrate on what you feel on the tongue -- bitterness, sourness, sweetness, saltiness; to detect chemical feelings -- cooling, metallic, astringent, nasal pungency. "Smell is the hardest," she stressed, "When I train people, I have them smell vials of chemicals or flavors -- orange, mint, cinnamon, oregano, clove, or strawberry." Civille cited coffee and cake frosting as of the most difficult products to evaluate after wine and fine fragrances: "If I taste coffee, for instance, in the nose I might perceive fruity or winey, the roasted character, whether it's nutty or woody -- those are the positive notes. Negative notes would be cereal, rubbery, burnt."

Radio

In 2009, Gail Vance Civille, along with David Kessler, was interviewed by Ira Flatow for the program in a segment entitled "How Tasty Foods Change the Brain". In discussing Dr. Kessler's book , Civille commented to the people who want to lose weight to take a product in the mouth and think about what the sensory properties are; what is the smell, what is the taste, what are the aromatics, what are the textural characteristics. She proposes that if they think hard and long about what they actually perceive, they will be less inclined to just go with the joy ride of the kick of the food and through thinking about what is perceived, they might actually eat less. "We used to have foods that we chewed for 15, 20 or 30 times before we swallowed; it took more work to eat." Today she says "There is rarely a food out there, outside of a sweet chewy candy, you have to chew more than 12 times and it is gone; so, you're in for the next hit to get more pleasure." She directed the radio audience to the value of the texture experience in food and the connection it has in the overall satisfaction of the consumer. In conclusion, she suggested "eating fruits and vegetables in reasonable amounts because it's a good way to start losing weight; they are filling, they're satisfying and they're not going to give you the fat, sugar, salt hit over and over again."

Television

On June 25, 2010, in its Nightly News Edition presented a report by senior investigative correspondent Lisa Myers titled "Breaking Down The Big Food" based on the Dr. Kessler's book. Civille explained how the food industry is presently more in touch with the end user consumer, with food companies asking her to help create products that are healthier and still tasty to the consumer by reducing fat and sugar to meet a lower caloric content.

Web Video

Changing the Way – and what- we eat. Why is it hard to resist certain foods? is an interview by Lisa Meyers for NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, where Civille gave details about how the consumer demands are forcing food companies to change the way they engineer food and how food panelists using descriptive analysis help to decode what the consumer really wants.

Books

Civille has published articles on general sensory methods, as well as sophisticated application of sensory strategy. She is co-author of Sensory Evaluation Techniques which covers all phases of sensory evaluation, details all sensory tests currently in use, promotes the effective employment of these tests, and describes major sensory evaluation practices.
As a co-editor of the book The Aroma and Flavor Lexicon for Sensory Evaluation, she includes a detailed description of the process used for implementing a word list for a specific product category, physical flavor and aroma references, product examples and the most frequently used terms.
In the book Sensory Evaluation in Quality Control, she emphasizes the importance of applying sensory evaluation in quality control and presents the sensory and statistical information that is needed to design and implement several types of quality control programs at the plant level.
Civille, G. V., "Food texture: pleasure and pain", Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 59, 1487-1490.
Civille, G. V.; Lapsley, K.; Huang, G.; Yada, S., "Development of an almond lexicon to assess the sensory properties of almond varieties", Journal of Sensory Studies
25, 146-162.
Mc Neill, Kay H.; Sanders, Timothy H.; Civille, Gail V., "Descriptive analysis of commercially available creamy style peanut butters", 391-414
Krinsky, B.F.; Drake, M.A.; Civille, C.V.; Dean, L.L., Hendrix, K.W.; Sanders, T.H., "The development of a lexicon for frozen vegetables soybeans ", Journal of Sensory Studies 21, 644-653
Gail Vance Civille and Clare Dus, "How sensory evaluation can provide development direction: An approach" Cosmetics & Toiletries, p.p. 49-54
Drake, M.A.; Karagul-Yuceer, Y.; Cadwallader, K.R.; Civille, C.V.; Tong, P.S. "Determination of the sensory attributes of dried milk powers and dairy ingredients", Journal of Sensory Studies 18, 199-216 doi:1111/j.1745-459X.2003.tb00385.x
Gail Vance Civille, Judy Heylmun "Commentary on Garber et al. paper for Food Quality and Preference Journal". Food Quality and Preference, 14, 31-32
Lotong, V.; Chambers, D.H.; Dus, C.; Chambers IV, E.; Civille, G. V., "Matching results of two independent highly trained sensory panels using different descriptive analysis methods", Journal of Sensory Studies 17, 429-444.
Stoer, N.; Rodriguez, M.; Civille, G.V., "New method for recruitment of descriptive analysis panelists", Journal of Sensory Studies 17: 77-88.
doi. 10.1111/j.1745-459X.2002.tb00333.x
McNeill, K.L.; Sanders, T.H.; Civille, G.V., "Using focus groups to develop a quantitative consumer questionnaire for peanut butter". Journal of Sensory Studies, 15: 163-178.
Drake, M.A.; Gerard, P.D.; Civille, G.V., "Ability of hand evaluation versus mouth evaluation to differentiate texture of cheese". Journal of Sensory Studies 14, 425-441.
Dus, C.A.; Rudolph, M.; Civille, G.V., "Sensory Testing Methods for Claims Substantiation" Cosmetic Claims Substantiation, New York.
Munoz, A. and Civille, G.V., "Universal, product and attribute specific scaling and the development of common lexicons in descriptive analysis". Journal of Sensory Studies, 13, 57-75.
Civille, G.V.. "From simple and distinct to complex and melded". Fine Cooking 02. 42-43.
Munoz, A. and Civille, G.V., "The Spectrum Descriptive Analysis Method" ASTM Manual 3, 22-34.
Civille, G.V. and Dus, C.A.,, "Sensory evaluation of lipid oxidation in foods". American Chemical Society. ACS Symposium Series, 500, 279-289.
Civille, G.V., "The proof is in the pudding, it's all a matter of taste". IFT Suppliers' Night Technical Symposium, Chicago.
Civille, G.V., "Food quality: Consumer acceptance and sensory attributes". Journal of Food Quality. 14, 1-8.
Civille, G.V., "Consultation in sensory evaluation". American Chemical Society. 13,139-141.
Civille, G.V. and Dus, C.A.. "Evaluating tactile properties of skincare products: A descriptive analysis technique". Cosmetics and Toiletries. 106, 83-88.
Civille, G.V.. "The sensory properties of products made with microparticulated protein". Journal of American College of Nutrition 9, 427-430.
Civille, G.V. and Dus, C.A.. "Development of terminology to describe the handfeel properties of paper and fabrics". Journal of Sensory Studies 5, 19-32
Johnsen, P.B.; Civille, G.V.; Vercellotti, J.R.; Sanders, T.H.; Dus, C.A. "Development of a lexicon for the description of peanut flavor" Journal of Sensory Studies 3, 9-17 doi. 10.1111/j.1745-459X.1988.tb00426.x
Munoz, A. and Civille, G.V.. "Factors affecting perception and acceptance of food texture by American consumers". Food Reviews International, 3, 285-322.
Johnsen, P.B.; Civille, G.V.; Vercellotti, J.R.. "A lexicon of pond-raised catfish flavor descriptors". Journal of Sensory Studies 2.
Johnsen, P.B. and G.V. Civille.. "A standardized lexicon of meat WOF descriptors". Journal of Sensory Studies, 1 99.
Civille, G.V. and Lawless, H.L.. "The importance of languages in describing perceptions". Journal of Sensory Studies. 1, 203-215.
Berry, B.W and Civille, G.V.. "Development of a texture profile panel for evaluating restructured beef steaks varying in meat practice size", Journal of Sensory Studies. 1, 15-26.
Korth, B. and Civille, G.V.. "Automated systems for using human judgments in QC". ASQC Quality Congress Transaction, Baltimore.
Civille, G.V.. "The technical and business roles of sensory evaluation in industry". Sensory Evaluation 20th Annual symposium 11-21-85 Rochester New York.
Civille, G.V.. "Descriptive Analysis". Course Notes for IFT Short Course in Sensory Analysis, Chicago: Institute of Food Technology, Chap. 6.
Civille, G.V.. "Case studies demonstrating the role of sensory evaluations in product development". Food Technology
Civille, G.V.. "Texture profiling-An objective sensory method". Cereal Foods World. P. 240.
Civille, G.V. and Liska, I.H.. "Modifications and applications to foods of the General Foods sensory texture profile technique". Journal of Texture Studies. 6, 19-31
Webb, N.B.; Rao, V.N.; Civille, G.V.; HaMann, D.D.. "Texture evaluation of frankfurters by dynamic testing". Journal of Texture Studies. 6, 329-342. 85.
Civille, G.V. and Szczesniak, A.S.. "Guidelines to training a texture profile panel". Journal of Texture Studies. 4, 204-223.

Contributions to other publications

Standard Guide for Sensory Claims Substantiation, 1998. ASTM, 1-21. Annual Book of Standard