Utensil and Facility
Basic requirements for a proper facility for a sensory test
2020/05/27
The main principle for the requirements for a proper facility for a sensory test will be whether you can control the factors that would affect the panelists during his/her sensory evaluation procedure. The factors may include the light, odor, sound, interference, temperature, conversation, indication, flow line etc. The second part will be whether the facility can be efficiently employed in the organization or not.
The factors may include the frequency of sensory activities, the function of sensory tests, the nature of target samples, easy to arrive, facility area limitation, etc.
Usually, a formal sensory facility incudes staff office, panelist reception area, testing booths, training area, sample preparation area, data processing area, and utensils storage area. There will be also certain soundproof isolation, air conditioning system, lighting control system, table, spitting sink/drain system, sample serving system etc. Some modernized ones may include the data input system and sample temperature keeping system in the booth area.
The flow line design could include the panelist will not see samples before the test, will not communicate with the panelist who is done with the test, and the booth area and the training area will not interfere with each other.
