Facilities & Resources

CASS is home of a state-of-the-art ‘green’ sensory laboratory located at Deakin University, Burwood. The laboratory comprises of:

• 17 fixed individual sensory booths and 6 portable booths to allow for on-site testing.
• Capability of n=23 consumers per sitting.
• Fully equipped kitchen and preparation area.

The CASS Food Research Centre boasts state of the art separation science capabilities.​

• Solvent-assisted flavour extraction (SAFE)​
• Static Headspace Analysis (HS)​
• Solid-Phase Microextraction (SPME)​
• Automated Liquid-Liquid Extraction (LLE)​
• Olfactometry Detection (GC-O, MDGC-O)​
• Mass Spectrometry for flavour analysis (GC-MSD)​
• Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry for pesticides and pollutants analysis (GC-TOF-MS)​

Our researchers have more than 20 years of experience in food, flavour, pesticide and multi-residue analysis (e.g. EPA 8270).​

We are world-renowned for our expertise in MDGC and GCÎGC analysis and have unique capability to implement these high-resolution technologies as required.​

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CASS Food Preservation  facility  comprises of:

• Freeze drying
• Modified atmospheric packaging and gas  composition analysis
• Analytical: Texture, colours, brix
• Kitchen facilities for product development

Having food safety concerns? At our laboratory we can perform microbial food testing to detect foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms or perform microbial enumerations. We can also undertake challenge studies or perform shelf-life testing. Our research is also focussed on assessing the efficacy of ‘natural’ antimicrobials against common foodborne pathogens.

Our consumer insights room provides a space for focus group and consumer discussions. The room is equipped with four cameras to capture audio and visual movement of participants, two TVs, a projector and a whiteboard.

Using humans as analytical instruments to describe the sensory characteristics of a product, the CASS Deakin trained panel provides flavour profiles for our industry partners. The panel consists of n=8-14 screened and trained engaged assessors. Each member of our panel has over 200 hours of training and testing experience. We have worked on fruit and vegetables, fish and seafood, rice, infant formula, meat, beauty and personal hygiene products including toilet paper!

One of our largest assets is the CASS Consumer Database, which lists around 2,500 members. Our diverse panellists are always eager to assist in our latest research projects.

By taking advantage of our large consumer database, we are able to rapidly recruit consumers of your product.

Online sensory and consumer data collection tool that assists with managing sensory and consumer tests, whether they are centrally located, in-field, or at home.

The software is supported on a wide range of devices (iPads, mobile phones, tablets, computers and laptops), browsers and operating systems, and has the capability for participants to complete online tests at anytime, anywhere. Tests are also able to be conducted in a wide range of common languages.