Duyusal Analiz — ISO 8586 / ISO 13299 / ISO 4120

What Is Sensory?

Sensory analysis is the evaluation of the product's appearance, smell, taste, texture and mouthfeel under controlled conditions and using defined methods. There are two basic approaches: descriptive profiling and discrimination tests (triangle, pairwise comparison) with TRAINED PANEL; Measuring taste and preference with CONSUMER TESTS.

Purpose of Sensory

The aim is to make the sensory quality of the product measurable: to determine whether a recipe change is noticeable, to monitor sensory deterioration throughout shelf life, or to compare with a competing product.

Which Products Is Sensory Applied To?

All food and beverage categories
Products with prescription changes
Products in shelf life monitoring
New product development samples
Products with packaging changes

In Which Sectors Is Sensory Used?

FoodAgricultureRetailPackaging

Standards Related to Sensory

TS EN ISO 8586 (selection and training of selected and expert panelists)
TS EN ISO 8589 (sensory analysis laboratory design)
TS EN ISO 13299 (descriptive sensory profiling)
TS EN ISO 4120 (triangle test)
TS EN ISO 5495 (pairwise comparison test)
TS EN ISO 11136 (consumer tests)

Sensory Conditions

Environment: Cabins complying with ISO 8589; neutral lighting, odor and noise control
Panel: Selection and training of trained panelists according to ISO 8586
Numune sunumu: Coded, random order and controlled temperature
Statistics: Statistical evaluation appropriate to the test type

Equipment for Sensory

Standard sensory evaluation cabins
Controlled lighting system
Sample preparation and temperature control equipment
Data collection and statistics software

Sample Requirements for Sensory

Sufficient number of samples from the same batch
If comparison is to be made, the reference product should also be sent.
Serving temperature and preparation instructions must be stated.
Allergen information must be provided — essential for panelist safety

Duration of Sensory

Discrimination tests can be completed in a single session. Descriptive profile studies are longer due to panel training and repeated sessions; Monitoring throughout shelf life is spread over the schedule of the study.

Sensory Procedure

1The question to be answered is determined and the appropriate test type is selected.
2The panel is selected and trained if necessary.
3Samples are coded and a presentation plan is prepared.
4Evaluation is done in a controlled environment.
5Data is collected.
6Statistical analysis appropriate to the test type is applied.

Sensory Acceptance Criteria

The acceptance criterion varies depending on the test: in discrimination tests, whether there is a statistically significant difference, in descriptive studies, compliance with the target profile, in consumer tests, the specified taste threshold is met.

Evaluation of Results

Sensory data is produced by people, not measuring instruments; Therefore, panel selection, training, and statistical power determine the reliability of the result. A triangle test with a small number of raters may not capture a true difference. The result should always be read in conjunction with the test used, panel size and statistical confidence.

Sensory Report

Study purpose and chosen test type
Panel information (number, education level)
Sample submission conditions
Raw data and statistical evaluation
Result and confidence level

Accreditation

EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation obtained from accreditation bodies party to the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements, under ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection and surveillance, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 17065 for system and product certification. This chain ensures the reports and certificates issued are accepted worldwide.

Whether this test can be offered within accredited scope depends on your product and the standard applied; since accreditation is method-based, the scope is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Scope and authorisations

Related Regulations

Turkish Food Codex Regulation and related product communiqués
EU 178/2002 (general principles of food law)
Law No. 5996 on Veterinary Services, Plant Health, Food and Feed

Food Testing — What Does This Testing Field Cover?

The section below describes the field that the Sensory test belongs to; the conditions and acceptance criteria of this particular test are given in the sections above. The scope specific to your product is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Food testing shows that a product is safe for consumption and contains what its label states. The family works along three axes: microbiological safety, chemical safety and nutritional composition. All three require different laboratory infrastructure, a different body of methods and a different turnaround time.

The most distinctive feature of the field is TIME PRESSURE. A steel specimen can wait on a shelf; a raw milk or fresh meat sample cannot. The time the sample was taken, the transport temperature and how long it takes to reach the laboratory directly determine the validity of the result. In food microbiology the cold chain record is therefore an inseparable part of the test report.

On the microbiological side there are two different questions and they must not be confused. DETECTION of a pathogen is a qualitative question: is Salmonella present in the sample or not? ENUMERATION of indicator organisms is a quantitative question and an indicator of production hygiene. The absence of a pathogen in a product does not show that hygiene is good; if the total mesophilic aerobic count is high, there is a problem in the process.

On the chemical side, pesticide residues, mycotoxins, heavy metals, additives, veterinary drug residues and process contaminants (acrylamide, furan, PAH) are measured. Multi-residue methods in this area (QuEChERS-based LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS) can screen hundreds of active substances in a single analysis; limits are defined separately for each product–substance pair.

On the composition side, protein, fat, moisture, ash, fibre, sugar profile, fatty acid composition, vitamin and mineral content are determined. These values are the basis of the nutrition declaration on the label and the tolerance ranges are defined in legislation — the difference between the declared value and the measured value must stay within that tolerance.

There is NO CE marking on food, and this shapes how the field works. Conformity is demonstrated through operating a HACCP-based food safety system, complying with labelling rules and not exceeding contaminant, residue and microbiological limits. A test result produces evidence not for a certificate but for a functioning system.

Allergen management carries particular weight. The presence of an undeclared allergen in a product is one of the most frequent causes of food recalls. Analysis here runs together with cleaning validation: it is shown that the line has been cleaned adequately after a production run containing an allergen and that the risk of cross-contamination is under control.

Voluntary schemes have become effectively mandatory in this field. Retail chains require their suppliers to hold a certificate under a GFSI-recognised scheme (BRCGS, IFS, FSSC 22000); without it, getting onto the shelf is practically impossible.

Method groups in this field

Pathogen detection
Detection of Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter, Cronobacter and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli; culture-based and molecular methods.
Indicator counts
Total mesophilic aerobic count, Enterobacteriaceae, coliforms and E. coli, coagulase-positive staphylococci, yeasts and moulds, lactic acid bacteria, sulphite-reducing Clostridia.
Pesticide and veterinary residues
Multi-residue screening by LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS with QuEChERS extraction.
Mycotoxins and contaminants
Aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, deoxynivalenol, patulin; heavy metals (ICP-MS), acrylamide and PAH compounds.
Nutritional composition
Kjeldahl protein, fat and fatty acid profile, moisture, ash, dietary fibre, sugar profile, vitamin and mineral analyses.
Allergens and authenticity
Gluten, milk, egg, nut and soy allergen analyses; molecular methods for species identification and adulteration detection.

Commonly confused in this field

Sampling is half the result. A sample transported at the wrong temperature or delayed gives an invalid result even if it is analysed correctly in the laboratory.
The absence of a pathogen does not show that hygiene is good; indicator counts give separate information and the two are read together.
A result from a sample taken from a lot can be generalised to the whole lot only if the sampling plan was set up statistically.
Limits are defined in separate regulations by product group and are updated regularly; a conformity decision based on an outdated limit table may be wrong.
For exports, the limits of the destination country may differ from EU limits; the same product may be compliant in one market and non-compliant in another.

Which decisions these results support

Verification of the HACCP plan and process monitoring
The basis for the nutrition declaration and allergen information on the label
Health certificates before export and compliance with destination market limits
Supplier and lot-based acceptance control
Shelf-life studies and determining storage conditions
Producing evidence for audits under GFSI-recognised schemes

Related Tests

Frequently Asked Questions About Sensory

We changed the prescription, will the consumer notice?

This is exactly the question that the triangle test answers: if raters can find the difference to be statistically significant, the difference is detectable. Whether the taste has changed or not requires a separate consumer study.

How many panels are required?

It depends on the type of test and the desired statistical power. The number of evaluators required for discrimination tests is calculated according to the size of the difference desired to be captured; The number is given together with the work plan at the proposal stage.