Tasting protocols
Catalog of System protocols and an editor to build your own custom ones.
What it is
A tasting protocol is the set of attributes a panelist rates per sample. The Protocols screen lets you browse the System protocols and create, edit, and delete your own.
Pro plan or above, or a tasting pack with credit left: as long as you have credit, the whole module is unlocked. Protocols are part of the Sensory analysis module. Without Pro or a pack you'll see an invitation to upgrade (with the pack option) and, when you close it, you go back to the hub.
How to get there
- URL:
https://app.areacacao.com/sensory-analysis/protocols - How to reach it: Protocols is not in the sidebar. In the sidebar, under SENSORY ANALYSIS, click the heading or the More in sensory link to open the module hub; inside the hub, under Module areas, open the Protocols card.
Screen sections
The screen is a two-column workspace (master-detail), not a card grid:
Left column — protocol list
Two collapsible sections, each with its own count:
- System (N) — protocols preconfigured and validated by AreaCacao. They're read-only. There are 25 System protocols: Cocoa bean grader (quick evaluation), Cocoa mass evaluation, Finished chocolate evaluation, Master Chocolatier, Firm ganache, Soft ganache, Soft caramel, Hard caramel, Salted caramel, Fondant, Crunchy pralines, Liquid praline, Gianduja, Pâte de fruit, Fruit cream (jam), Marshmallow, Chocolate mousse, Pastry cream, Buttercream, Marzipan, Egg yolk / cooked almond paste, and Truffle, plus two panel-training protocols (Training — Basic taste recognition (ISO 3972:2011) and Training — Threshold detection (ISO 13301:2018 + ASTM E679-19)) and one hedonic protocol (Hedonic — 9-point Peryam liking scale (ISO 11136:2014)). Their names appear in the interface language.
- Custom (N) — the ones you create. Here you can edit and delete. A colored dot indicates their status, and the ones you've deactivated are flagged as (inactive) (they're not offered when creating new tastings).
Right column — detail or editor
- When you first open the screen, it shows a placeholder: Select a protocol to view its details or edit it.
- A System protocol doesn't open in this column: when you click it, the app takes you to its read-only detail page (see below).
- When you pick a Custom one, it opens the editor in edit mode.
Actions
- Click a System protocol to open its read-only detail page.
- Duplicate as custom (icon on a System protocol): creates an editable copy that opens in the editor.
- Click a Custom protocol to load it in the editor.
- + New protocol from scratch: opens the empty editor to build a new one.
Protocols are composed from the catalog of 93 attributes (see Families, attributes, and sub-attributes).
System protocol details
When you open a System protocol you'll see its read-only sheet, with a Back to list link, the product type, the number of active attributes, and two sections:
- Attributes the panel will evaluate — the protocol's attributes grouped by category (Base, Complementary, Defect, Mouthfeel) and family.
- Panelist sheet preview — a non-interactive sample of how the sheet will be presented to the taster. As an example it shows only the first 4 attributes of the protocol, with a sample blind code (
### 247) and sliders on a 0–10 scale.
The Create an evaluation with this protocol button in the detail opens the new tasting wizard with this protocol already selected in the Protocol step: you pick the test type and carry on. When you hover over it you'll see a notice that reads "Coming soon — the tasting wizard arrives in an upcoming update"; that text is out of date, because the wizard already works. Two exceptions: if you pick a training test or the hedonic test, the wizard assigns that test's own System protocol; and if you continue a saved draft when it opens, the draft wins and the protocol doesn't change. See Create a tasting.
Plan availability
Pro or above, or a tasting pack with credit left. Starter without a pack has no access to protocols.