Sensory analysisTastings
Blind codes
How AreaCacao assigns blind codes to the samples in a tasting so the panel doesn't know what it's tasting.
What they are
A blind code is an opaque (three-digit) identifier the system assigns to a sample so the panelist can't recognize it by name or by batch.
In the tasting wizard you turn this on with the Blind mode checkbox (the Product and samples step); in the app, each sample then shows its Blind code.
Why they matter
- They remove bias. A panelist who sees "Batch A — supplier X" knows what they're tasting and can skew their evaluation.
- They allow replication. The same sample can appear twice under different codes to verify panel consistency.
- They're a requirement for many protocols (triangle test, duo-trio, descriptive with several samples) to be valid.
How they're generated
AreaCacao assigns blind codes on the server at random, with an exclusion list to avoid:
- Visually confusable codes (069 vs 690).
- Codes already in use in another simultaneous active tasting on your account.
- Trivial codes that could trigger an association (000, 100, 999).
When they're assigned
- When you create the tasting in step 7 of the wizard, you see a preview of the codes that will be assigned.
- When you launch the tasting, the codes are locked in and printed on the A4 sheets and the Avery L7160 labels.
How to work with them in the workshop
- Print the Avery L7160 labels with the blind codes.
- Stick each label on the corresponding cup or plate.
- Serve following the configured presentation order.
- Record the panelists' evaluations (on paper + OCR afterward, or digitally).