ASTM E679-19
Standard Practice for Determination of Odor and Taste Thresholds By a Forced-Choice Ascending Concentration Series Method of Limits

Standard No.

ASTM E679-19

Release Date

2019

Published By

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

Latest

ASTM E679-19

Scope

1.1 This practice describes a rapid test for determining sensory thresholds of any substance in any medium. 1.2 It prescribes an overall design of sample preparation and a procedure for calculating the results. 1.3 The threshold may be characterized as being either (a) only detection (awareness) that a very small amount of added substance is present but not necessarily recognizable, or (b) recognition of the nature of the added substance. 1.4 The medium may be a gas, such as air, a liquid, such as water or some beverage, or a solid form of matter. The medium may be odorless or tasteless, or may exhibit a characteristic odor or taste per se. 1.5 This practice describes the use of a multiple forcedchoice sample presentation method in an ascending concentration series, similar to the method of limits. 1.6 Physical methods of sample presentation for threshold determination are not a part of this practice, and will depend on the physical state, size, shape, availability, and other properties of the samples. 1.7 It is recognized that the degree of training received by a panel of assessors with a particular substance may have a profound influence on the threshold obtained with that substance (1).2 1.8 Thresholds determined by using one physical method of presentation are not necessarily equivalent to values obtained by another method. 1.9 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the 1 This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E18 on Sensory Evaluation and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E18.04 on Fundamentals of Sensory. Current edition approved Aug. 15, 2019. Published September 2019. Originally approved in 1979. Last previous edition approved in 2011 as E679 – 04 (2011). DOI: 10.1520/E0679-19. 2 The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to the list of references at the end of this practice. Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee. 1 Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

ASTM E679-19 Referenced Document

• ASTM E1432 Standard Practice for Defining and Calculating Individual and Group Sensory Thresholds from Forced-Choice Data Sets of Intermediate Size
• ISO 13301 Sensory analysis - Methodology - General guidance for measuring odour, flavour and taste detection thresholds by a three-alternative forced-choice (3-AFC) procedure

ASTM E679-19 history

• 2019 ASTM E679-19 Standard Practice for Determination of Odor and Taste Thresholds By a Forced-Choice Ascending Concentration Series Method of Limits
• 2004 ASTM E679-04(2011) Standard Practice for Determination of Odor and Taste Thresholds By a Forced-Choice Ascending Concentration Series Method of Limits
• 2004 ASTM E679-04 Standard Practice for Determination of Odor and Taste Thresholds By a Forced-Choice Ascending Concentration Series Method of Limits
• 1991 ASTM E679-91(1997) Standard Practice for Determination of Odor and Taste Thresholds By a Forced-Choice Ascending Concentration Series Method of Limits