AS 2542.1.3:2014 Sensory analysis
4.3.3 Health criteria
The candidates shall be in good general health. They shall not suffer from any disabilities, allergies or illnesses which may affect those senses relevant to the sensory analysis to be undertaken and shall not be taking medication which might impair their sensory capacities and thus affect the reliability of their judgements. It may be useful to know whether the candidates have dental prostheses, since they can have an influence in certain types of evaluation involving texture or flavour. Colds or temporary conditions (e.g. pregnancy) should not be a reason for eliminating a candidate.
4.3.4 Psychological criteria
4.3.4.1 Interest and motivation Candidates who are interested in sensory analysis and the product or products to be investigated are likely to be more motivated and hence are likely to become better assessors than those without such interest and motivation.
4.3.4.2 Sense of responsibility and power of concentration Candidates shall show interest and motivation for the tasks and shall be willing to persevere with tasks demanding prolonged concentration. They shall be punctual in attending sessions and shall be reliable and honest in their approach.
4.3.5 Other factors
Other information which may be recorded during recruitment is name, age group, sex, nationality, educational background, current occupation, and experience in sensory analysis. Information on smoking habits may also be recorded, but candidates who smoke shall not be generally excluded.
IMPORTANT一Any files on individual persons shall comply with the legal requirements of the country concerned.
4.4.2 Types of screening test
All the tests described have the dual function of familiarizing the candidates with both the methods and the materials used in sensory analysis. They are divided into three types as those aimed at:
a) determining impairment;
b) determining sensory acuity;
c) evaluating a candidate’s potential for describing and communicating sensory perceptions.
Test results should only be carried out after previous experience followed by familiarization. The tests shall be conducted in an appropriate environment in accordance with the recommendations specified in ISO 8589. They shall be followed by interviews. Several tests described in this International Standard are based on those specified in ISO 6658.
The selection of assessors should take into account the intended application, the performance of the candidates at the interviews, and their potential rather than their current performance. Candidates with high success rates are to be expected to be more useful than others, but those showing improving results with repetition are likely to respond well to training.