ISO 8586-2023 PDF

Full title and description

St ISO 8586-2023 — Sensory analysis — Selection and training of sensory assessors. This International Standard provides criteria, procedures and practical examples for recruiting, screening, training and recognising different types of sensory assessors (naive, screened, trained and expert) for use in sensory evaluation of food and beverage products and of home and personal care products. It is intended to supplement general sensory methodology guidance given in ISO 6658 and to align assessor procedures with current best practice.

Abstract

ISO 8586:2023 (second edition) specifies the processes for selection, preselection and training of sensory assessors, describes desirable assessor characteristics (including health and communication factors), defines assessor categories (naive, screened, trained, expert), and provides screening and training exercises and tables to support implementation. The 2023 revision consolidates previous parts, updates scope and terminology, adds examples for home and personal care products, and moves monitoring content that was redundant to ISO 11132.

General information

• Status: Published (International Standard).
• Publication date: April 2023.
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 03.100.30; 67.240 (management of human resources; sensory analysis).
• Edition / version: Edition 2 (2023).
• Number of pages: 38 pages.

Scope

This standard applies to recruitment, preselection, screening and training of sensory assessors used in sensory evaluations across industries that evaluate products by the human senses (primarily food and beverages, and home and personal care products). It sets out criteria for assessor aptitude, health and communication, describes categories of assessors (naive, screened, trained and expert), and provides guidance and example procedures to prepare assessors for descriptive and discriminative sensory tests. The document is intended to complement ISO 6658 (methodology) and to leave monitoring procedures to ISO 11132 where appropriate.

Key topics and requirements

• Definitions and assessor categories: naive, screened, trained and expert sensory assessors, with characteristics and intended uses.
• Recruitment and preselection: recommended interview topics, desirable attributes (motivation, availability, communication skills).
• Screening methods: sensory sensitivity tests, basic discrimination and detection tasks, example screening tables and pass/fail criteria.
• Training programmes: structured session types, exercises for attribute recognition, scaling and rating, panel orientation and practice protocols.
• Health and psychological criteria: guidance on temporary conditions, medication, allergies and other factors that affect sensory performance.
• Performance characteristics: repeatability and reproducibility concepts, procedures to assess assessor and panel performance over time.
• Expert assessors: criteria, additional training/experience requirements and examples of when to use experts.
• Annexes with practical examples: sample screening tests, training exercises and tables including examples for home and personal care products.
• Relationship to other standards: complements ISO 6658 (methodology) and references monitoring/guidelines in ISO 11132 and other sensory-method standards.

Typical use and users

Used by sensory scientists, R&D teams, quality control/assurance laboratories, product developers, contract sensory test houses, accreditation bodies and educators. Typical applications include recruiting and qualifying panel members, designing and documenting training programmes, setting panel entry/exit criteria, and establishing consistent assessor performance for descriptive profiling, discrimination testing and routine QC sensory checks.

Related standards

Commonly referenced companion standards include: ISO 6658 (Sensory analysis — Methodology — General guidance), ISO 11132 (Guidelines on monitoring/validation of sensory methods), ISO 8589 (Test room design), ISO 5492 (Sensory vocabulary), ISO 4120 (Triangle test), ISO 5495 (Paired comparison), ISO 5496 (Initiation and training for odour detection) and other ISO sensory-method standards.

Keywords

sensory analysis; assessor selection; panel training; screening tests; trained assessor; expert assessor; sensory panel; repeatability; reproducibility; ISO 8586:2023; food; beverages; home care; personal care.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 8586:2023 is an international standard that specifies criteria and procedures for selecting, screening and training sensory assessors used in sensory evaluation, with practical examples and guidance for implementation.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers recruitment and preselection, screening tests, training programmes and performance characteristics for naive, screened, trained and expert sensory assessors; health and communication criteria; and includes annexes with example exercises and tables.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Sensory scientists, product developers, quality control laboratories, contract sensory testing organizations, accreditation bodies and educators involved in sensory evaluation and panel management.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO 8586:2023 (published April 2023) is the current edition and supersedes ISO 8586:2012. It consolidates earlier parts and updates scope and content; monitoring material previously in earlier editions has been aligned with ISO 11132.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: It is part of the ISO suite of sensory-analysis standards (methodology, test methods and supporting guidance) rather than a numbered multipart series; it complements standards such as ISO 6658, ISO 8589 and various ISO methodology documents (ISO 4120, ISO 5495, ISO 5496, ISO 5492, ISO 11132, etc.).

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Sensory analysis, assessor selection, assessor training, sensory panel, screening tests, trained assessor, expert assessor, repeatability, reproducibility, ISO 6658, ISO 11132.