ASTM E2299-13

Standard Guide for Sensory Evaluation of Products by Children and Minors

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 It is necessary and useful to test with children because they represent the real end-users for many products. Some products are developed specifically for children, and some are dual-purpose products that are intended for adults and children. Examples include: baby foods, diapers, ready-to-eat cereal, juices, food or lunch kits, candy, toys, vitamins and other pharmaceuticals, music and videos, interactive learning tools, and packaging.  
4.2 Children have influence over adults' purchase decisions and are responsible for many or some of their own purchase decisions.  
4.3 Creating a product for children requires input from children because their wants and needs differ from those of adults. For example, they may differ from adults in preferences or sensory acuity, or both, for sweetness, saltiness, carbonation, and texture. It is impossible to predict the nature of these differences without actual input from the intended target audience.
SCOPE
1.1 This standard guide provides a framework for understanding the issues relating to conducting sensory and market research studies with children. It recommends and provides examples for developing ethical, safe, and valid testing methods. It focuses specifically on the concerns relevant to testing with children from birth through preadolescence. The guide assumes that minors older than 15 years of age are generally capable of performing sensory tests like adults, and therefore, all standard procedures used with adult subjects apply. The one exception, however, is legal consent where parental/legal guardian permission should be obtained for anyone under 18 years of age.  
1.2 The guide will take into account the wide range of children's physical, emotional, and cognitive levels of development. It will prove useful for developing tasks that are understandable to children. It recommends alternative modes for children to communicate their opinions or perceptions back to the researcher, such as appropriate scales and measures.  
1.3 The ethical standard presented in this document should be viewed as a minimum requirement for testing with minors. The safety and protection of children as respondents, as well as an attitude of respect for the value of their input should be of primary concern to the researcher.  
1.4 The considerations raised in this document may also be useful when testing with the elderly or with adults who have developmental handicaps.  
1.5 This document is not intended to be a complete description of reliable sensory testing techniques and methodologies. It focuses instead on special considerations for the specific application of sensory techniques when testing with children. It assumes knowledge of basic sensory and statistical analysis techniques.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 30-Sep-2013
• ICS: 67.240 - Sensory analysis
• Technical Committee: E18 - Sensory Evaluation
• Drafting Committee: E18.05 - Method Applications - Specific Uses or Assessors

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: E2299 − 13
Standard Guide for
1
Sensory Evaluation of Products by Children and Minors
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E2299; 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 2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
1.1 This standard guide provides a framework for under-
E253 Terminology Relating to Sensory Evaluation of Mate-
standing the issues relating to conducting sensory and market
rials and Products
research studies with children. It recommends and provides
E1958 Guide for Sensory Claim Substantiation
examples for developing ethical, safe, and valid testing meth-
3
2.2 ASTM Publications
ods. It focuses specifically on the concerns relevant to testing
ASTM Manual 26 Sensory Testing Methods: Second Edi-
with children from birth through preadolescence. The guide
tion Guidelines for the Selection and Training of Sensory
assumes that minors older than 15 years of age are generally
Panel Members, ASTM STP 758, ASTM International,
capable of performing sensory tests like adults, and therefore,
1981
all standard procedures used with adult subjects apply.The one
exception, however, is legal consent where parental/legal
3. Summary of Guide—Specific Applications for Testing
guardian permission should be obtained for anyone under 18
With Children
years of age.
3.1 The primary use of children in sensory studies is to
measure the acceptability of foods, beverages, pharmaceutical
1.2 The guide will take into account the wide range of
colors and flavors, and other products designed to be marketed
children’s physical, emotional, and cognitive levels of devel-
to, consumed by, or used by children.
opment. It will prove useful for developing tasks that are
understandable to children. It recommends alternative modes
3.2 In this sense, they answer many of the same questions
for children to communicate their opinions or perceptions back
posed by affective sensory tests with adults. Children are used
to the researcher, such as appropriate scales and measures.
to measure overall acceptance, liking, or preference between
samples. The resulting information can be used to aid in
1.3 The ethical standard presented in this document should
formulationchangesortochoosebetweenalternativeproducts.
be viewed as a minimum requirement for testing with minors.
3.3 Sensory testing with children can also be used to
Thesafetyandprotectionofchildrenasrespondents,aswellas
identifyuniquecharacteristicsorfunctionsofproducts,suchas
an attitude of respect for the value of their input should be of
the effectiveness of childproof safety caps. Other applications
primary concern to the researcher.
include advertising research or identification of unfilled needs
1.4 The considerations raised in this document may also be
orwantsaspartoftheproductdevelopmentprocess(seeGuide
useful when testing with the elderly or with adults who have
E1958).
developmental handicaps.
3.4 Finally, some organizations are using children for basic
research into the effectiveness of different scaling methods or
1.5 This document is not intended to be a complete descrip-
sensory testing methodologies with children of varying ages.
tion of reliable sensory testing techniques and methodologies.
It focuses instead on special considerations for the specific
4. Significance and Use
applicationofsensorytechniqueswhentestingwithchildren.It
4.1 It is necessary and useful to test with children because
assumes knowledge of basic sensory and statistical analysis
they represent the real end-users for many products. Some
techniques.
products are developed specifically for children, and some are
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 Oct. 1, 2013. Published November 2013. Originally the ASTM website.
3
approved in 2003. Last previous edition approved in 2011 as E2299 – 11. DOI: Available fromASTM International Headquarters, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO
10.1520/E2299-13. 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 ----------------------
E2299 − 13
dual-purposeproductsthatareintendedforadultsandchildren. span, or the co
...

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: E2299 − 11 E2299 − 13
Standard Guide for
1
Sensory Evaluation of Products by Children and Minors
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E2299; 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 standard guide provides a framework for understanding the issues relating to conducting sensory and market research
studies with children. It recommends and provides examples for developing ethical, safe, and valid testing methods. It focuses
specifically on the concerns relevant to testing with children from birth through preadolescence. The guide assumes that
teensminors older than 15 years of age are generally capable of performing sensory tests like adults, and therefore, all standard
procedures used with adult subjects apply. The one exception, however, is legal consent where parental parental/legal guardian
permission should be obtained for anyone under 18 years of age.
1.2 The guide will take into account the wide range of children’s physical, emotional, and cognitive levels of development. It
will prove useful for developing tasks that are understandable to children. It recommends alternative modes for children to
communicate their opinions or perceptions back to the researcher, such as appropriate scales and measures.
1.3 The ethical standard presented in this document should be viewed as a minimum requirement for testing with minors. The
safety and protection of children as respondents, as well as an attitude of respect for the value of their input should be of primary
concern to the researcher.
1.4 The considerations raised in this document may also be useful when testing with the elderly or with adults who have
developmental handicaps.
1.5 This document is not intended to be a complete description of reliable sensory testing techniques and methodologies. It
focuses instead on special considerations for the specific application of sensory techniques when testing with children. It assumes
knowledge of basic sensory and statistical analysis techniques.
2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
E253 Terminology Relating to Sensory Evaluation of Materials and Products
E1958 Guide for Sensory Claim Substantiation
3
2.2 ASTM Publications
ASTM Manual 26 Sensory Testing Methods: Second Edition Guidelines for the Selection and Training of Sensory Panel
Members, ASTM STP 758, ASTM International, 1981
3. Summary of Guide—Specific Applications for Testing With Children
3.1 The primary use of children in sensory studies is to measure the acceptability of foods, beverages, pharmaceutical colors
and flavors, and other products designed to be marketed to, consumed by, or used by children.
3.2 In this sense, they answer many of the same questions posed by effectiveaffective sensory tests with adults. Children are
used to measure overall acceptance, liking, or preference between samples. The resulting information can be used to aid in
formulation changes or to choose between alternative products.
3.3 Sensory testing with children can also be used to identify unique characteristics or functions of products, such as the
effectiveness of childproof safety caps. Other applications include advertising research or identification of unfilled needs or wants
as part of the product development process (see Guide E1958).
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, 2011Oct. 1, 2013. Published January 2012November 2013. Originally approved in 2003. Last previous edition approved in 20032011
as E2299 – 03.E2299 – 11. DOI: 10.1520/E2299-11.10.1520/E2299-13.
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.
3
Available from ASTM International Headquarters, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO 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 ----------------------
E2299 − 13
3.4 Finally, some organizations are using children for basi
...