Expert panel or in-home panel? Choosing the right palatability study

The right palatability study depends on the question you need answered. This guide compares one-bowl and two-bowl designs, expert and in-home panels, and the details that make results reliable.

PNL

Guires PNL InsightsWritten by the nutrition science and regulatory teams

Reviewed byGuires PNL scientific team

Published5 Sep 2026

Last checked5 Sep 2026

Reading time6 minutes

Key takeaways

One-bowl tests measure acceptance; only two-bowl tests measure preference.
Expert panels give control and speed; in-home panels add real-world context.
Side bias, novelty and panel size all change the answer — design for them.
Cats need their own protocols.

EvidenceGoodRated by the Guires Pet Nutrition Lab scientific team

Use it forChoosing a palatability design

PanelsExpert (≈30 animals) or in-home (≈100)

Key riskSide bias and underpowered panels

01Start with the question

Your question	Design	Panel
Will pets eat this product?	One-bowl acceptance	Expert panel
Is the new recipe preferred to the current one?	Two-bowl preference	Expert panel
Will it hold up in real homes?	Two-bowl or one-bowl over several days	In-home panel
What do owners notice?	Owner questionnaire, kept separate from intake	In-home panel
How well are nutrients absorbed?	Digestibility study	Expert panel

A one-bowl test does not give information about preference, and two-bowl tests are prone to side bias unless bowl positions are alternated ^1,5.

02Expert panel vs in-home panel

Expert (kennel) panel

Controlled housing, feeding and measurement.
Typically around 30 animals ³.
Fast and repeatable for development decisions.
Animals used to testing may respond differently from pets.

In-home panel

Real homes, real feeding routines.
Typically around 100 animals ³.
Captures owner perception alongside intake.
More variable; needs more animals and time.

The two do not always agree. In one comparison, kennel and home dogs agreed on canned foods but differed on semi-moist and dry foods, which was linked to feeding history ⁴.

03What makes results reliable

Control side bias. Alternate and randomise bowl positions ^1,5.
Allow for novelty. First-day responses to a new food often differ, so treat day one as adaptation ².
Size the panel by power, not habit. For cats, one analysis found two-bowl tests need at least 23 animals for adequate power ^2,3.
Keep owner views separate. Owners’ liking of a dry dog food was driven mainly by kibble colour and appearance, not by what the dog ate ⁶.
Design for cats. Cats lack a functional sweet receptor, and umami is their main appetitive taste ⁷.

04Study design checklist

Design checklist

Write the decision the study must support.
Choose one-bowl or two-bowl to match that decision.
Choose expert or in-home panel, or both in sequence.
Set panel size by power analysis.
Blind and code products; alternate bowl positions.
Define adaptation days and study length.
Agree statistics before the study starts.
Confirm welfare and ethics approvals.

Guires Pet Nutrition Lab verdict

Start with the decision you need to make. Use expert panels for development choices and in-home panels to confirm before launch.

05Questions brands ask

How many animals do I need?

Expert panels of about 30 and in-home panels of about 100 are typical; for cats, two-bowl tests need at least 23 animals for adequate power.

Can palatability support a health claim?

No. Palatability shows acceptance and preference only.

Sources

Aldrich GC, Koppel K (2015). Pet food palatability evaluation: a review of standard assay techniques and interpretation of results with a primary focus on limitations. Animals 5(1):43–55. Source ↗
Tobie C, Péron F, Larose C (2015). Assessing food preferences in dogs and cats: a review of the current methods. Animals 5(1):126–137. Source ↗
Pires et al. (2020). Res Vet Sci. Source ↗
Griffin RW et al. (1984). Neurosci Biobehav Rev. Source ↗
Le Guillas et al. (2024). Animals. Source ↗
Di Donfrancesco B et al. (2014). Animals. Source ↗
Watson et al. (2023). Animals. Source ↗

Evidence reviewed by the Guires Pet Nutrition Lab scientific team. This article is general information for product developers and is not legal or veterinary advice.

How to cite this article

Choose your referencing style, then copy. Check your university’s, journal’s or regulator’s guide for local variations.

Guires Pet Nutrition Lab. (2026, September 5). Expert panel or in-home panel? Choosing the right palatability study. Guires Pet Nutrition Lab Insights. https://www.petnutritionlab.com/insights/palatability-study-design

This article summarises published evidence for product developers. Cite the original sources above for specific findings, and do not reproduce this article as your own work.

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