Although aromas are invisible, they play an essential role in enriching everyday life by enhancing the appeal of food and creating pleasant impressions and effects. By visualizing these impressions and effects, we believe the inherent value of aromas can be communicated more clearly.

As a group of aroma specialists, T. HASEGAWA has developed the Aroma Value Visualizer™ (AVV™), a proprietary aroma visualization tool. By using this technology to visualize the sensory value of aromas, we can identify the aroma profiles of our own materials, as well as those of specific varieties of fruits and flowers and commercial products. We believe this approach supports more precise product development for our customers and helps them communicate product value more effectively to consumers.

In sensory evaluation, trained specialists such as flavorists and perfumers serve as evaluators. We conduct highly accurate sensory evaluations using our proprietary methods, particularly when evaluating aromas. Furthermore, we have developed methods such as Aroma Rainbow™, which represents aromas and emotions using color, and Aroma Insight™, which visualizes the relationship between aromas, emotions, and specific usage contexts.

By performing an integrated analysis of research findings on consumer preferences and the impressions evoked by aromas, we provide intuitive, easy-to-understand visualizations through color diagrams and perceptual maps. Additionally, for evaluations based on human physiological responses, we use proprietary technologies that leverage methods such as NIRS — Near-Infrared Spectroscopy — to measure blood flow in the head region, and thermography to measure nasal skin temperature. These technologies enable us to objectively visualize emotional changes triggered by aromas.

We also apply these technologies to social issues, such as sleep quality, by conducting proprietary research on the relationship between sleep and aromas using physiological response measurement technology, and by applying these findings to aroma development. In this way, we develop original technologies to visualize aromas from multiple perspectives, providing comprehensive solutions for our customers’ product development.