Supported ISOs
Table of the international standards that the AreaCacao sensory module is built on.
Why it matters
AreaCacao doesn't invent sensory methodology: it implements the 11 ISO/ASTM standards that govern the craft and that your auditor recognizes. This is what lets you sign technical dossiers that hold up in a B2B audit.
Sensory standards implemented
These are the 11 ISO/ASTM standards the sensory module is built on:
| Standard | What it's used for | Where it shows up in AreaCacao |
|---|---|---|
| ISO 8586:2023 | Selection and training of sensory panelists. | Assessor types (naive / initiated / selected / expert), revalidation. |
| ISO 3972:2011 | Basic taste recognition. | Panel training — 5–6 basic tastes (umami + metallic optional). |
| ISO 13301:2018 | Threshold determination via the 3-AFC procedure. | Panel training — 3-AFC thresholds. |
| ASTM E679-19 | Best Estimate Threshold (BET). | Panel training — 3-AFC thresholds. |
| ISO 4120 | Triangle test. | Tastings — Triangle test. |
| ISO 5495:2005 | Paired comparison (2-AFC). | Tastings — Paired comparison (2-AFC). |
| ISO 10399:2017 | Duo-trio test. | Tastings — Duo-trio. |
| ISO 8587:2006 | Ranking test by intensity of a single attribute (Friedman test). | Tastings — Simple ranking / Ranking with scales. |
| ISO 11136 | Hedonic consumer tests. | Tastings — Hedonic. |
| ISO 13299 | Quantitative sensory profiling (descriptive analysis, QDA) and temporal aroma release (DTI). | Tastings — Descriptive tasting (spider chart + per-attribute aggregates) and Aroma release (DTI). |
| ASTM E1909:2024 | Time-intensity evaluation (continuous curve of a single in-mouth attribute). | Tastings — Time-intensity. |
The triangle test appears in the app as ISO 4120:2021. We don't pin the specific edition here because it can vary by screen; the method applied is the same.
Labeling regulation
Beyond the sensory standards, AreaCacao integrates a food-information standard that is not a tasting method:
| Standard | What it's used for | Where it shows up in AreaCacao |
|---|---|---|
| EU Regulation 1169/2011 | Food information to consumers. | Regulatory footer on the printable recipe technical sheet. |
For the statistical analysis of descriptive tastings, AreaCacao applies ANOVA across samples and, as a post-hoc contrast, Tukey HSD when the ANOVA is significant (see Statistical aggregation).
How they're used in practice
- When you create a tasting, pick the test type and the system applies the correct protocol.
- When you train a panelist, the system follows ISO 8586 to assign and maintain their badge.
- When you generate the A4 sheet, the boxes and scale are the ones defined by the corresponding method.