**Preface to "Sensory Analysis and Consumer Research in New Product Development"**

Sensory analysis and consumer research are relevant tools in innovation and new product development, from design to commercialization. Sensory analysis techniques have evolved a lot in recent decades, from the more traditional techniques (discriminator and descriptive analysis or preference and hedonic tests) towards the more novel and rapid techniques (check all that apply, napping, flash profile, temporal dominance of sensations, etc.), with outstanding application at the different stages of food innovation. In addition to the application of these techniques, knowing how the consumer interacts with a food product in the different stages (purchase, ingestion, etc.) is essential to better understand and be able to measure consumer attitudes and behaviours. All this is crucial for the development of new products to be successful.

This Special Issue has collected 13 valuable scientific contributions, including 1 review, 12 original research articles and an editorial. The SI provides an interesting outlook and better understanding of sensorial analysis with different techniques and consumer research on new product development. Important practical applications have been reported for the development of different novel, functional and enhanced products (meat, fish, biscuits, yogurt, porridge, hybrid meat, molecular products, etc.), which helps increase knowledge in this field.

This SI is very useful for both present and future uses for the different players involved in this kind of product development (industry, companies, researchers, scientists, marketing, merchandising, consumers, etc.).

We would like to acknowledge the efforts of the authors of the publications in this Special Issue.

**Claudia Ruiz-Capillas, Ana Herrero Herranz** *Editors*
