ASTM E2454-20

Standard Guide for Sensory Evaluation Methods to Determine 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 or functional parameters, or both: (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...
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 or in-home storage, or both, 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 interna...

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 31-Mar-2020
• ICS: 03.080.30 - Services for consumers
• Technical Committee: E18 - Sensory Evaluation
• Drafting Committee: E18.05 - Sensory Applications--General

Standards Content (Sample)

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.
Designation: E2454 − 20
Standard Guide for
Sensory Evaluation Methods to Determine Sensory Shelf
1
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
2
designing,executing,andinterpretingsensoryshelfliferesults.
2.2 ASTM Manuals:
MNL 13 Descriptive Analysis Testing
1.2 This guide is not intended to provide a detailed descrip-
MNL 26 Sensory Testing Methods
tion of how to conduct reliable sensory testing. It assumes
MNL 30 Relating Consumer, Descriptive, and Laboratory
knowledge of basic sensory and statistical analysis techniques,
Data to Better Understand Consumer Responses
focusing instead on special considerations for the specific
STP 682 Manual on Consumer Sensory Evaluation
application of sensory testing methods to shelf life determina-
STP 758 Guidelines for the Selection and Training of Sen-
tion.
sory Panel Members
1.3 The shelf life measures in this guide refer to foods,
household and personal care products stored as the manufac-
3. Terminology
turer intended and do not account for changes in sensory
3.1 Definitions:
properties occurring after opening, partial consumption/use or
3.1.1 For definitions of terms used in this guide see Termi-
in-home storage. Once products have been manufactured,
nology E253.
packaged and sent through the distribution channels, the
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
conditionoftheproductsisnottypicallyunderstudy.However,
3.2.1 accelerated storage/aging, n—subjecting a product to
acompanymaywishtoincludesuchvariablesintheirshelflife
extreme or stressed conditions, such as elevated temperatures
studies when there is a need to evaluate the sensory quality of
or humidity, exposure to sunlight or other light, to speed up
their products as they go through distribution channels or
those changes in product characteristics that are assumed to be
in-home storage, or both, and use.
related to aging the product.
1.4 This guide is not intended to address non-sensory issues
3.2.2 controlparametersforsensoryshelflifedetermination
related to the shelf life of food, including microbial contami-
(known as “control”), n—specificproductordataset(basedon
nationandchemicalchangesofproductsassociatedwithaging,
previous sensory research) designated as the one to which the
nor is it intended to address potential safety issues associated
data from stored products are to be compared.
with aging food and non-food consumer products.
3.2.3 controlled conditions, n—set of environmental param-
eters (including but not limited to temperature, humidity, light,
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
2
Applications--General. For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
Current edition approved April 1, 2020. Published April 2020. Originally contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
approved in 2005. Last previous edition approved in 2019 as E2454 – 19a. DOI: Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
10.1520/E2454-20. the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

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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 − 19a E2454 − 20
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
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 or in-home storage,
or both, 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 Nov. 15, 2019April 1, 2020. Published January 2020April 2020. Originally approved in 2005. Last previous edition approved in 2019 as
E2454 – 19.E2454 – 19a. DOI: 10.1520/E2454-19A.10.1520/E2454-20.
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

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E2454 − 20
2
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
STP 682 Manual on Consumer Sensory Evaluation
STP 758 Guidelines for the Selection and Training of Sensory Panel Members
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions:
3.1.1 For definiti
...