Overview

The testing or detection of sensorially perceptible characteristics of food and other products by human senses is an essential part of quality inspection and product development, especially in the field of food and cosmetics. Test rooms and testing areas, which are designed and set up for this specific purpose, are a prerequisite for a standardized procedure of such tests and for achieving comparable and useable results. This document provides general guidance for the design and set-up of test rooms intended for the sensory analysis of materials under test. These test rooms can be used for conducting sensory tests of food and other products that are evaluated using sensory test methods. However, the test rooms may need to be adapted for each specific use. Mainly, modifications to the design are only required for specific products and for specific types of testing. This is particularly true if the test rooms are to be used for the evaluation of non-food products. The standard contains the requirements to set up a test room comprising a testing area, a preparation area and an office, specifying the requirements that are essential or those that are merely desirable. In addition to the requirements for room design and set up of testing booths, the standard gives information on colour design, lighting and room climate (humidity and room temperature). Examples for floor plans and plans for the layout of testing booths, as well as recommendations for their set-up and equipment are given in the informative Annex. This document incorporates without any alterations the International Standard ISO 8589:2007, including Amendment 1:2014, which has been prepared by ISO/TC 34 "Food products" (secretariat: AFNOR (France)), Subcommittee SC 12 "Sensory analysis" (secretariat: IRAM (Argentina)). According to the resolution by CEN/SS C01 "Food products", ISO 8589:2007 has been adopted, without any modifications, as a European Standard under the Unique Acceptance Procedure (UAP). Amendment 1:2014 has been subject to parallel voting within the framework of the Vienna Agreement. The collaboration of DIN at CEN for the field of responsibility of CEN/SS C01 "Food products" (secretariat: CEN Management Centre (CMC)) is performed through Working Committee NA 057-01-01 AA "Sensorik" ("Sensory analysis") of NAL. The incorporated Amendment 1 modified the requirement regarding the colour design of the interior of a booth in subclause 6.2.5. The previously defined specific requirements for the luminance factor (Munsell reference) have been deleted and replaced by a general requirement.

Document: references other documents

Document: referenced in other documents

Responsible national committee

NA 057-08-01 AA - Sensory analysis  

Responsible european committee

CEN/BT - BT Technical Board