Sensory Glossary for Flavoured Waters - Nestlé Waters

In red colour: sensory attributes which can be used by untrained consumers: to be used for 60/40+ questionnaire.

Evaluation of the colour intensity: from no colour to very coloured (colour of a fruit juice).
Colour
A
P Quantity of bubbles on the glass wall and bottom: from no bubble to very bubbly.
Bubbles*
P Evaluated with in two minutes after pouring into a serving container.
E Intensity of the opacity of the liquid: from a transparent liquid (light passes through it) to an opaque liquid
A Transparency /
(light does not pass through it).
R Opacity
A
N Suspended Evaluation of the quantity of visible particles in suspension in water: from no particles to many particles in
C particles suspension.
E Evaluation of the quantity of solid matter deposited in the bottom of the serving container: from no
Sedimentation sedimentation to large amount of sediment.

O Overall odour Evaluation of the overall odour intensity: from no odour perceived to strong odour perceived.
D
O The intensity of individual odour, e.g. orange, banana and this category can be applied to as many aromas
U individual
perceived in the beverage: from no odour perceived to strong odour perceived.
R odours
Intensity of smell perceptibility of oxidation due to the natural degenerative process. From no oxidation
Oxidised to very oxidized.

Evaluation of a potential off-smell present in the product: from no off-smell to a strong off-smell.
Off-smell This off-smell should then be characterized using attributes from the list attached in annex.

Describes the amount of tingling or biting sensation resulting from carbonation: from not carbonated (no
Carbonation *
tingling) to very carbonated (very tingling).
(Sparkling)
Describes the chemical feeling on the tongue and oral surfaces, which is characterized by a drying,
T
Astringency shrinking or puckering sensation. (Also a rough/dry tongue and rough palate). From not to very.
E
X Describes the impression caused by beverage which gives the impression to cover the mouth with an
T Oily “oily” film: from no oily film to very oily
U
R Intensity of the beverage body, linked to an impression of “heaviness” and “weight” or thickness in the
E
Body mouth, hence potentially with the mineralization: from very light/thin to very heavy.

Intensity of the refreshing property: this feeling is created by a balanced combination of aroma, sourness
Refreshing and sweetness. From not refreshing to very refreshing.

Adequacy Intensity of the gap between the odour and the tasting perceptions: From low adequacy to very good
Taste / Smell adequacy.

Overall Describes the overall intensity of all flavours. From not to very.
F
Flavour
L Individual The intensity of individual flavours, e.g. orange, banana and this category can be applied to as many
A aromas perceived in the beverage: from no odour perceived to strong odour perceived.
V
flavours
O Sweetness Sweetness intensity characterized by sweet solutions: From no sweet perception to very sweet.
U
R Describes the basic taste of sourness, characterized by solutions of acids such as citric, malic etc. From no
Sourness sour perception to very sour.

Describes the basic taste of bitter characterized by solutions of caffeine and quinine. From no bitter
Bitterness perception to very bitter.

Natural / Artificial taste of the beverage: from natural (taste similar to a natural fruit juice) to artificial (with a sort
Artificial of “chemical” taste).
Intensity of taste perceptibility of oxidation due to the natural degenerative process. From no oxidation to
Oxidised
very oxidation
Evaluation of a potential off-flavour present in the product: from no off-flavour to a strong off-flavour.
Other off- This off-taste should then be characterized using attributes from the list attached in annex.
 flavour

A
Persistency Intensity of the global persistency 10 seconds after swallowing: from no persistency to very persistent.
F Describes the sweetness perception after swallowing the beverage: From no sweet perception to a strong
T Sweetness
sweet perception.
E
R Describes the sourness perception after swallowing the beverage: From no sour aftertaste to a strong sour
- Sourness
aftertaste.
T
A Describes the bitterness perception after swallowing the beverage: From no bitter perception to a strong
S
Bitterness
bitter perception.
T
E Describes the flavour perception after swallowing the beverage: From no flavour perception to a strong
Flavour
flavour perception.

* Attributes relevant to carbonated waters

 Sensory Glossary for Flavoured Waters - Nestlé Waters

Methodology to be used for monadic sensory profiles

 Scale to be used: 11-point scale (from 0 to 10)

 Standards to prepare or use in order to calibrate the expert panels on the sensory attributes scales:

- Overall odour intensity: 0 for a non-flavoured water / 10 for a fruit juice or a fruit nectar

- individual odours:: 0 for a non-natural beverage (like Oasis) / 10 for fruit juice

- Overall flavour intensity (flavour and aftertaste): 0 for a non-flavoured water / 10 for a fruit
juice or a fruit nectar

- Individual flavour intensity (flavour and aftertaste): 0 for a non-flavoured water / 10 for a fruit
juice or a fruit nectar

- Sweetness intensity (flavour and aftertaste): 0 for a water or a no-sweet beverage / 10 for a
beverage equivalent to a solution of 50g/L saccharose.

- sourness intensity (flavour and aftertaste): 0 for a water or a no-sour beverage / 10 for a
beverage equivalent to a solution of 1 g/L citric acid
-
- bitterness intensity (flavour and aftertaste): 0 for a water or a no-bitter beverage / 10 for a
beverage equivalent to a solution of 0.5 g/L caffeine or 0.25 g/L of quinine
-
- artificial attribute: 0 for a natural fruit juice / 10 for a very “chemical” beverage, potentially a
beverage formulated with sweeteners

- adequacy smell/taste: 0 for a flavoured water like Perrier-lemon or Perrier-grapefruit (these

flavoured waters often have a very pleasant smell and a very low taste) / 10 for a natural fruit
juice

- astringency: 0 for a non-astringent beverage / 10 for a beverage causing similar tongue tissues
contraction than a very tannic wine (some Chianti for instance) or a tea infusion (can also be
calibrated using a solution of 0.5 g/L of potassium alum)
-
- refreshing: 0 for a very sweet beverage containing sweeteners (like Taillefine Fizz) / 10 for a
flavoured water like Volvic Lemon (combination of a refreshing flavour like lemon, a low sweet
level and a reasonable sourness)

- persistency: 0 for a water / 10 for a beverage with sweeteners like Contrex Mûre-Framboise
 Sensory Glossary for Flavoured Waters - Nestlé Waters

List of Sensory attributes to characterize an off-flavour in

flavoured waters or beverages
- sulfury: reference: “DMS” like

- almond note: reference:“benzaldehyde” like

- smoky: reference: 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol

- phenolic : reference : trichlorophenol

- medicinal : reference guaiacol

- earthy : reference : TCA

- potatoe : reference : 2-ethyl-3-methyl-pyrazine

- mushroom 

- animal note : reference : p-cresol

- woody 

- cooked

- fermented / cider (for apple) : ethyl heptanoate

- ripe/rotten fruit : methylthiobutyrate

- fatty/oily: reference: oxidized erucamide

- floral: reference: linalool

- rancid: thiocresol