Reports and statistics
Where a tasting's results show up, how they get locked when you close it, and which report you see depending on the test type.
What it is
Reports are the analysis AreaCacao computes over your panel's responses. They don't live on a separate screen: they appear inside the tasting detail, in the Results section, and they change shape depending on the test type you chose.
All statistics (means, standard deviations, ANOVA, Tukey, binomial tests, areas under the curve) are computed automatically. You just interpret the result.
How to get there
- URL:
https://app.areacacao.com/sensory-analysis/evaluations/<id> - How to reach it: in Evaluations, open the tasting. Scroll down to the Results section.
Pro plan or above, or a tasting pack with credit left. Without either, opening a tasting shows an invitation to upgrade (with the pack option) instead of the screen.
Real-time preview versus final analysis
The Results section has two states:
- Open tasting — the subtitle reads "Real-time preview. Close the tasting to lock in the results." The numbers keep changing as the panel responds.
- Closed tasting — after you click Close tasting and lock results, the subtitle switches to "Final panel analysis." and the results are locked in.
The Close tasting and lock results button is what freezes the analysis. While it processes, it shows Closing…. For details on closing, see Close and lock a tasting.
Panel training tests (basic tastes, thresholds) don't use this section: they have their own training results view.
Which report you see depending on the test type
The Results section adapts to the tasting's test type:
| Test type | What the report shows |
|---|---|
| Descriptive tasting / Hedonic | Spider chart of the sensory profile, the Sensory sample map (PCA) when there are at least 3 attributes, and a table of mean ± SD per attribute and sample with an ANOVA (p value) column and Tukey letters. For hedonic tests, also the Preference distribution histogram and the Consumer acceptance indicators table. |
| Ranking | Friedman test, a rank-sum table with letter groups and, with at least 3 samples and 3 panelists, the Trend along the declared order. |
| Triangle · Paired comparison (2-AFC) · Duo-trio | Statistical verdict (significant difference or not) + distribution of the panel's choices. |
| Time-intensity | One intensity-vs-time curve per sample, with AUC, I max, and T max, plus the Mean parameters ± SD table (I max, T max, AUC, T onset, and Duration). |
| Aroma release | Dominant pathway, ortho/retronasal ratio, and release-area bars per pathway. |
When there are no responses to aggregate yet, the section shows an honest empty state with the reason (for example, "No panelist responses yet for this evaluation.").
Samples are identified by their blind code
In the reports in the Results section, samples are always identified by their 3-digit blind code, not by their internal name, so the analysis stays impartial. The only exception is the ranking report: its table adds a Name column with each sample's internal name.
Physical outputs (execution phase)
Before closing, during the in-person session, you have two printable outputs available from the Operations section of the tasting detail:
- A4 panel sheet — the sheet each panelist fills in.
- Avery L7160 labels — to identify the samples in the booth by their blind code.
Next steps
Spider chart
How to read the radar chart of the sensory profile.
Statistical aggregation
What the system computes and what each metric means.
Preference distribution
The hedonic histogram and the 1-9 Peryam scale.
Discriminative report
Triangle, paired comparison, and duo-trio: the binomial verdict.
Ranking report
Friedman test, rank sums, and trend along the order.
Time-intensity report
The intensity curve and its AUC, I max, and T max metrics.
Aroma release report
Orthonasal versus retronasal pathway.