ASTM E2454-19a

Standard Guide for Sensory Evaluation Methods to Determine the Sensory Shelf Life of Consumer Products

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 Sensory shelf life is the time period during which the product’s sensory characteristics and performance are as intended by the manufacturer. The product is consumable or usable during this period, providing the end-user with the intended sensory characteristics, performance, and benefits. After this period, however, the product has characteristics or attributes that are not as intended, or it does not perform the same functions as fresh products or those consumed or used before the end of shelf life.  
5.2 The goal of all shelf life determination is to estimate the time at which a consumer product is no longer usable, unfit for consumption, or no longer has the intended sensory characteristics.  
5.3 Prior to the commencement of sensory shelf life study, the criteria/criterion that are/is used to define shelf life end must be defined. The criterion or criteria could be sensory attributes, consumer acceptance or product performance. Once the criteria are defined, the test methodology for measuring the sensory shelf life can be selected. The criterion operationally defining the end of shelf life is generally chosen based on one or more of the following changes in the product’s sensory and/or functional parameters: 1) the aged product is perceptibly different from the fresh product overall, 2) the aged product has changed in specific sensory or functional attributes, either increasing some, decreasing others, or the appearance of new attributes compared to the fresh product, or 3) product acceptability of the aged product has decreased to a specific degree from that of the fresh product. The determination of these sensory end-points is a function of the criteria selected, the test method used, and sampling and statistical risks chosen by the researcher.  
5.4 The three following test methods are most commonly used for the three end-point criteria cited above: (1) discrimination, (2) descriptive, and (3) affective. Researchers have to select criteria and methods...
SCOPE
1.1 This guide provides recommended sensory testing approaches and decision criteria for establishing the sensory shelf life of consumable products, including food, personal care, and household products to manage business risk. It describes research considerations that include: product selection and handling, appropriate application of specific sensory test methods, selection of test intervals, and data analysis techniques for the determination of a product’s sensory shelf life end-point. This guide will focus on the practical considerations and approaches, risks, and criteria that must be considered in designing, executing, and interpreting sensory shelf life results.  
1.2 This guide is not intended to provide a detailed description of how to conduct reliable sensory testing. It assumes knowledge of basic sensory and statistical analysis techniques, focusing instead on special considerations for the specific application of sensory testing methods to shelf life determination.  
1.3 The shelf life measures in this guide refer to foods, household and personal care products stored as the manufacturer intended and do not account for changes in sensory properties occurring after opening, partial consumption/use or in-home storage. Once products have been manufactured, packaged and sent through the distribution channels, the condition of the products is not typically under study. However, a company may wish to include such variables in their shelf life studies when there is a need to evaluate the sensory quality of their products as they go through distribution channels and/or in-home storage and use.  
1.4 This guide is not intended to address non-sensory issues related to the shelf life of food, including microbial contamination and chemical changes of products associated with aging, nor is it intended to address potential safety issues associated with aging food and non-food consumer products.  
1.5 This international ...

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 14-Nov-2019
• ICS: 03.080.30 - Services for consumers
• Technical Committee: E18 - Sensory Evaluation
• Drafting Committee: E18.05 - Method Applications - Specific Uses or Assessors

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM E2454-19 - Standard Guide for Sensory Evaluation Methods to Determine the Sensory Shelf Life of Consumer Products
• Effective Date: 15-Nov-2019
• Referred By: ASTM D8179-18 - Standard Guide for Characterizing Detergents for the Cleaning of Clinically-used Medical Devices
• Effective Date: 15-Nov-2019

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: E2454 − 19a
Standard Guide for
Sensory Evaluation Methods to Determine the Sensory
1
Shelf Life of Consumer Products
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E2454; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 1.5 This international standard was developed in accor-
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
1.1 This guide provides recommended sensory testing ap-
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
proachesanddecisioncriteriaforestablishingthesensoryshelf
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
life of consumable products, including food, personal care, and
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
household products to manage business risk. It describes
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
research considerations that include: product selection and
handling, appropriate application of specific sensory test
2. Referenced Documents
methods, selection of test intervals, and data analysis tech-
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
niques for the determination of a product’s sensory shelf life
E253 Terminology Relating to Sensory Evaluation of Mate-
end-point.This guide will focus on the practical considerations
rials and Products
and approaches, risks, and criteria that must be considered in
E460 Practice for Determining Effect of Packaging on Food
designing,executing,andinterpretingsensoryshelfliferesults.
and Beverage Products During Storage
1.2 This guide is not intended to provide a detailed descrip-
E1871 Guide for Serving Protocol for Sensory Evaluation of
tion of how to conduct reliable sensory testing. It assumes
Foods and Beverages
knowledge of basic sensory and statistical analysis techniques,
E2139 Test Method for Same-Different Test
focusing instead on special considerations for the specific
E2164 Test Method for Directional Difference Test
application of sensory testing methods to shelf life determina-
E2263 Test Method for Paired Preference Test
tion.
E2610 Test Method for Sensory Analysis—Duo-Trio Test
E3005 Terminology for Body Armor
1.3 The shelf life measures in this guide refer to foods,
E2943 Guide for Two-Sample Acceptance and Preference
household and personal care products stored as the manufac-
Testing with Consumers
turer intended and do not account for changes in sensory
3
properties occurring after opening, partial consumption/use or 2.2 ASTM Manuals:
in-home storage. Once products have been manufactured, MNL 13 Descriptive Analysis Testing
packaged and sent through the distribution channels, the MNL 26 Sensory Testing Methods
conditionoftheproductsisnottypicallyunderstudy.However,
MNL 30 Relating Consumer, Descriptive, and Laboratory
acompanymaywishtoincludesuchvariablesintheirshelflife Data to Better Understand Consumer Responses
studies when there is a need to evaluate the sensory quality of
3. Terminology
their products as they go through distribution channels and/or
in-home storage and use.
3.1 Definitions:
3.1.1 For definitions of terms used in this guide see Termi-
1.4 This guide is not intended to address non-sensory issues
nology E253.
related to the shelf life of food, including microbial contami-
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
nationandchemicalchangesofproductsassociatedwithaging,
3.2.1 accelerated storage/aging—subjecting a product to
nor is it intended to address potential safety issues associated
extreme or stressed conditions, such as elevated temperatures
with aging food and non-food consumer products.
or humidity, exposure to sunlight or other light, to speed up
1 2
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E18 on Sensory For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
Evaluation and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E18.05 on Sensory contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
Applications--General. Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
Current edition approved Nov. 15, 2019. Published January 2020. Originally the ASTM website.
3
approved in 2005. Last previous edition approved in 2019 as E2454 – 19. DOI: Available fromASTM International Headquarters, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO
10.1520/E2454-19A. Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428–2959.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
E2454 − 19a
those changes in product characteristics that are assumed to be mine specific use-by dates,” or “understand the
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: E2454 − 19 E2454 − 19a
Standard Guide for
Sensory Evaluation Methods to Determine the Sensory
1
Shelf Life of Consumer Products
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E2454; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope
1.1 This guide provides recommended sensory testing approaches and decision criteria for establishing the sensory shelf life of
consumedconsumable products, including food, personal care, and household products to manage business risk. It describes
research considerations including: that include: product selection and handling, appropriate application of specific sensory test
methods, selection of test intervals, and data analysis techniques for the determination of a product’s sensory shelf life end-point.
This guide will focus on the practical considerations and approaches, risks, and criteria that must be considered in designing,
executing, and interpreting sensory shelf life results.
1.2 This guide is not intended to provide a detailed description of how to conduct reliable sensory testing. It assumes knowledge
of basic sensory and statistical analysis techniques, focusing instead on special considerations for the specific application of
sensory testing methodmethods to shelf life determination.
1.3 The shelf life measures in this guide refer to foods, household and personal care products stored as the manufacturer
intended and do not account for changes in sensory properties occurring after opening, partial consumptionconsumption/use or
in-home storage. Once products have been manufactured, packaged and sent through the distribution channels, the condition of
the products is not typically under study. However, a company may wish to include such variables in their shelf life studies when
there is a need to evaluate the sensory quality of their products as they go through distribution channels and/or in-home storage
and use.
1.4 This guide is not intended to address non-sensory issues related to the shelf life of food, including microbial contamination
and chemical changes of products associated with aging, nor is it intended to address potential safety issues associated with aging
food and non-food consumer products.
1.5 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.
2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
E253 Terminology Relating to Sensory Evaluation of Materials and Products
E460 Practice for Determining Effect of Packaging on Food and Beverage Products During Storage
E1871 Guide for Serving Protocol for Sensory Evaluation of Foods and Beverages
E2139 Test Method for Same-Different Test
E2164 Test Method for Directional Difference Test
E2263 Test Method for Paired Preference Test
E2610 Test Method for Sensory Analysis—Duo-Trio Test
E3005 Terminology for Body Armor
E2943 Guide for Two-Sample Acceptance and Preference Testing with Consumers
1
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E18 on Sensory Evaluation and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E18.05 on Sensory
Applications--General.
Current edition approved Feb. 1, 2019Nov. 15, 2019. Published February 2019January 2020. Originally approved in 2005. Last previous edition approved in 20112019
as E2454 – 05 (2011).E2454 – 19. DOI: 10.1520/E2454-19.10.1520/E2454-19A.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
E2454 − 19a
3
2.2 ASTM Manuals:
MNL 13 Descriptive Analysis Testing
MNL 26 Sensory Testing Methods
MNL 30 Relating Consumer, Descriptive, and Laboratory Data to Better Understand Consumer Responses
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions:
3.1.1 For definitions of terms used in this guide see Terminology E253.
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard
...