Current research supports the IMSP teaching approach

Professional meat assessment requires a learning process in which participants repeatedly examine their own judgement. That is how the International Meat Sensory Program is designed. For its 2027 launch, it combines technical foundations with recurring sensory practice. A study published on 5 October 2026 provides a timely connection with university teaching. Meat Morning Briefing covered it on 7 October. [1, 2]

What the study reports

In Translational Animal Science, Aeriel D. Belk of Auburn University describes the use of Standards-Based Grading in the university course “Muscle Foods”. This approach assesses progress against clearly defined competencies. The course specified 40 learning objectives. After additional learning activities, students could request reassessment. [1]

After three semesters, the author reports high grades, greater confidence in subject knowledge, and less exam anxiety and stress in the abstract. She also notes the substantial demand on instructors’ time and students’ concerns about fairness. The study concerns this university course. It supports central principles of the IMSP teaching approach, but does not directly evaluate our program’s effectiveness. [1]

An approach built into the program design

The connection between learning objectives, practice and assessment shapes my work with CONEXXUS® and my book “Didaktik im Handwerk”, published in March 2026. Planning starts with what participants should be able to apply confidently by the end. Suitable tasks and criteria follow from that goal. The IMSP syllabus dated 3 October also documents this approach before the new paper was published. [3, 4]

In IMSP, knowing ageing methods is a foundation. Explaining a sensory observation and using it to make an appropriate recommendation is a more advanced ability. Training must give participants opportunities to practise that action. Assessment must then show how reliably they can perform it.

Why learning extends over eight months

The core program comprises 216 hours across eight training months from March to November 2027, with a summer break in August. Its 120 hours of in-person training over 16 days are complemented by 64 hours of digital learning and 32 hours of independent Tastingkiosk sessions. The intervals between the two-day training blocks provide opportunities to apply learning and revisit it at the next session. [4]

Duration alone does not make a course effective. What happens during that time matters. CONEXXUS® provides for recurring learning activities with application and reflection. The recent study does not establish that exactly eight months is optimal. It is, however, consistent with the principle of making progress visible throughout a course and providing further opportunities to learn.

Repeating, comparing and examining one’s own judgement

Sensory training makes this tangible: the same sample is assessed under two different codes. Participants then compare their own results. Significant differences create a technical question to investigate. Which perception drove the judgement? Did temperature or tasting order matter? Which reference could help explain the assessment more precisely next time?

IMSP provides for these comparisons throughout the program. Sensory-ID™ supports documentation so earlier assessments remain available for the next learning phase. Participants can identify variation and work specifically on the consistency of their judgement. The digital platform serves a concrete teaching purpose. [4]

Clear requirements for the qualification

The curriculum defines the professional competencies. The syllabus explains the learning process, workload and assessment requirements. The IMSP qualification includes a written technical exam, a practical assessment including calibration, and a sensory project paper. Each component requires a score of at least 70 percent. Technical knowledge and practical performance must therefore each be demonstrated. [4]

For us, the connection with current research lies in this deliberate integration. We design the course around the competence participants should achieve, build in practice and feedback, and make requirements transparent. The new paper supports this direction. What matters to participants is learning to explain their sensory judgement professionally and apply it reliably at work.

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