COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Accompanying the document Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the Council of Members of the International Olive Council as regards the organoleptic assessment method for virgin olive oil
Date: 2026-05-28
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: commodity agreement, international organisation, marketing standard, multilateral agreement, olive, olive oil, quality control of agricultural products

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 28.5.2026  SWD(2026) 133 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT    Accompanying the document Proposal for a  COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the Council of Members of the International Olive Council as regards the organoleptic assessment method for virgin olive oil {COM(2026) 254 final}  
 
 
DRAFT DECISION No DEC-III.X/123-VI/2026 

REVISING THE ORGANOLEPTIC ASSESSMENT METHOD FOR VIRGIN 
OLIVE OIL 

 
 
 
 
DECISION DEC-III.X/123-VI/2026 

REVISING THE ORGANOLEPTIC ASSESSMENT METHOD 

FOR VIRGIN OLIVE OIL 

THE COUNCIL OF MEMBERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLIVE COUNCIL 

in  particular 

Having  regard to the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2015, 
and 
its  Article  1  "Objectives  of  the  Agreement"  concerning 
standardisation  and  research  into  the  harmonisation  of  national  and  international 
legislation and its Chapter VI "Standardisation provisions"; 

Having  regard  to  Resolution  RES-5/56-IV/87  of  18  June  1987  adopting  IOC 
document COI/T.20/Doc. No. 5 "Glass for oil tasting" and to Decision DEC-III.2/111-
VI/2020 revising document COI/T.20/Doc. No. 5/Rev. 2;  

Having  regard  to  the  recommendation  made  by  the  Committee  on  Chemistry  and 
Standardisation  at  its  18th  meeting,  within  the  framework  of  the  123rd  session  of 
the Council of Members;  

Considering  the  unanimous  position  formulated  by  the  organoleptic  assessment 
experts at their meeting on 5 and 6 May 2026,  

Decides 

1.  To revise document COI/T.20/Doc. No. 5/Rev. 2 "Glass for oil tasting". Document 
COI/T.20/Doc.  No.  5/Rev.  3  replaces  and  repeals  method  COI/T.20/Doc.  No. 
5/Rev. 2. 

Madrid, ** June 2026 
Tawfik EL ACHCHABI 
Président du Conseil oléicole international 

Príncipe de Vergara, 154 - 28002 Madrid - Spain   
Tel: +34 915 903 638  

E-Mail: iooc@internationaloliveoil.org 
    Internationaloliveoil.org 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
INTERNATIONAL 

OLIVE 

COUNCIL 

COI/T.20/Doc. No 5/Rev. 2 3 
2020 Juin 2026 

ENGLISH 
Original: SPANISH 

Príncipe de Vergara, 154 – 28002 Madrid – Spain Tel.: +34 915 903 638 Fax: +34 915 631 263 - e-mail: iooc@internationaloliveoil.org - http://www.internationaloliveoil.org/ 

STANDARD FOR THE SENSORY 
ANALYSIS OF OLIVE OIL STANDARD 

GLASS FOR OIL TASTING 

1. 

PURPOSE 

The purpose of this standard is to describe the characteristics of the glass intended for use 
in the organoleptic analysis of edible oils (odour, taste, flavour). 

In addition, it describes the adapted heating unit needed to reach and maintain the 
right temperature for this analysis. 

2.  DESCRIPTION OF THE GLASS 

The drawing in Figure 1 attempts to establish the optimum characteristics desirable in a 
piece of apparatus of this kind, which can be specified as follows: 

a)  Maximum steadiness, to prevent the glass from tilting and the oil from being  spilled. 

b) 

c) 

A base which easily fits the indentations of the heating unit so that the bottom of the glass 
is evenly heated. 

A narrow mouth which helps to concentrate the odours and facilitates their identification. 

d)  Made  of  dark-coloured  glass  to  prevent  the  taster  from  perceiving  the  colour  of  the  oil, 
thus  eliminating  any  prejudices  and  impeding  the  possible  formation  of  biases  or 
tendencies that might affect the objectiveness of the determination. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
COI/T.20/Doc. No 5/Rev. 2 3 
Page 2 

2.1. 

Dimensions 

The glass is sketched in Figure 1, and has the following dimensions: 
Total capacity................................... 
Total height...................................... 
Diameter of mouth……………….. 
(measured at the outer edge of the rim) 
Diameter of glass at its widest......... 
Base diameter.. 
Thickness of glass on sides.............. 
Thickness of glass base .................. 

35 mm + 1 2 mm 

130 ml + 10 ml 
60 mm + 1 2 mm 
50 mm + 1 2 mm 

70 mm + 1 2 mm 

1.5 mm + 0.2 mm 
5 mm + 1 mm 

Each  glass  shall  be  equipped  with  a  watch-glass,  the  diameter  of  which  shall  be  10°mm  larger 
than  the  mouth  of  the  glass.  This  watch-glass  shall  be  used  as  a  cover  to  prevent  the  loss  of 
aroma and the entry of dust. 
Alternatively,  it  is  allowed  to  use  food-grade,  odourless,  disposable  lids  made  of  cardboard, 
paper or other ecological materials. 
Each glass shall be equipped with a watch-glass, the diameter of which shall be 10 mm larger 
than the mouth of the glass. This watch-glass shall be used as a cover to prevent the loss of 
aroma and the entry of dust. Each batch of glasses must be checked to ensure it conforms to 
the  specified  parameters.  This  verification  should  be  carried  out  using  instruments  such  as 
graduated cylinders, rulers, and callipers to measure volume capacity, diameters, heights, and 
thicknesses. 

2.2.  Manufacturing characteristics 
The glass shall be made of resistant glass; it shall be dark-coloured so that the colour of its 
contents cannot be discerned, and it shall be free from scratches or bubbles. 
The rim shall be even, smooth and flanged. 
The glass shall be annealed so that it stands the temperature changes it has to undergo in the 
tests. 

2.3. 

Instructions for use 

The  glasses  shall  be  cleaned  using  unperfumed  soap  or  detergent  and  shall  then  be  rinsed 
repeatedly  until  the  cleaning  agent  has  been  totally  eliminated.  The  final  rinse  shall  be  with 
drinking  water,  after  which  the  glasses  shall  be  left  to  drain  and  then  dried  in  an  odour-free 
environment. 
Neither concentrated acids nor chromic acid mixtures shall be used. 
The  glasses  shall  be  stored  in  a  cabinet,  protecting  them  from  contamination  from  any 
extraneous odours. 
Before use, each glass shall be smelled to ensure that no extraneous odour is present. Once 
the  glasses  have  been  properly  washed  and  dried,  it  is  recommended  to  periodically  select 
two at random to check for any residual odours. 
When the test is being prepared care shall be taken to record the code of each glass and the oil it 
contains. Only the person in charge of the test will know to which code the oil corresponds. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
COI/T.20/Doc. No 5/Rev. 2 3 
Page 3 

3.  DEVICE FOR HEATING SAMPLES 

The samples shall be organoleptically examined at a set temperature which, in the case of edible 
oils, shall be 28 + 2 ºC. For this purpose, a heating device (see Figure 2) shall be installed in each 
booth within the taster's reach. It comprises an aluminium block immersed in a thermostatically-
controlled water bath so as to keep a uniform temperature. This block has a series of indentations 
into which fit the bottoms of the glasses. The temperature difference  between the heating 
device and the oil contained in the glasses inserted in the indentations of the various blocks shall 
not be more than + 2 ºC. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
COI/T.20/Doc. No 5/Rev. 2 3  
Page 4 

Fig. 1  

TASTING GLASS 

(dimensions in millimetres) 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
COI/T.20/Doc. No 5/Rev. 2 3 
Page 5 

Fig. 2 

EXAMPLE OF DEVICE FOR HEATING SAMPLES 

(dimensions in millimetres) 

Fig. 2: This figure shows a 3X3 heating unit. Note that other heating units (e.g. 2X2, 2X3), 
equipped with a thermostat and with or without a water bath can also be used. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DRAFT DECISION DEC-III.X/123-VI/2026 

REVISING THE ORGANOLEPTIC ASSESSMENT METHOD FOR VIRGIN 
OLIVE OIL 

 
 
 
 
 
DECISION NO DEC-III.X/123-VI/2026 

REVISING THE ORGANOLEPTIC ASSESSMENT METHOD FOR VIRGIN 
OLIVE OIL 

THE COUNCIL OF MEMBERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLIVE COUNCIL 

in  particular 

Having regard to the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2015, 
and 
its  Article  1  "Objectives  of  the  Agreement"  concerning 
standardisation and research into the harmonisation of national and international 
legislation and its Chapter VI "Standardisation provisions”; 

Having  regard  to  Resolution  RES-5/56-IV/87  of  18  June  1987  adopting  IOC 
document  COI/T.20/Doc.  No.  6  "Guide  for  the  installation  of  a  taste  room"  and 
Decision DEC-21/95-V/2007 revising document COI/T.20/Doc. No. 6/Rev. 1; 
Having regard to the recommendation made by the Committee on Chemistry and 
Standardisation at its 18th meeting, within the framework of the 123rd Session of 
the Council of Members; 
Considering  the  unanimous  position  formulated  by  the  organoleptic  assessment 
experts at their meeting on 5 and 6 May 2026, 

Decides 

To revise document COI/T.20/Doc. No. 6/Rev. 1. “Guide for the installation of a taste 
room”.  Document  COI/T.20/Doc.  No.  6/Rev.  2  replaces  and  repeals  document 
COI/T.20/Doc. No. 6/Rev. 1. 

Madrid, ** June 2026 
Tawfik EL ACHCHABI 
Président du Conseil oléicole international 

Príncipe de Vergara, 154 - 28002 Madrid - Spain 
Tel: +34 915 903 638 

E-Mail: iooc@internationaloliveoil.org 
Internationaloliveoil.org 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
INTERNATIONAL OLIVE 

COI/T.20/Doc. No 6/Rev.1 2 

COUNCIL 

September 2007 June 2026 

ENGLISH 
Original: SPANISH 

Príncipe de Vergara, 154 – 28002 Madrid – España  Telef.: +34 915 903 638  Fax: +34 915 631 263 - e-mail: iooc@internationaloliveoil.org - http://www.internationaloliveoil.org/ 

SENSORY ANALYSIS OF OLIVE OIL 

STANDARD 

GUIDE FOR THE INSTALLATION OF A TEST ROOM 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

The test room is designed to provide the panel participating in the sensory tests with a 
suitable, comfortable, standardised environment which facilitates work and helps to improve 
the repeatability and reproducibility of the results. 

2. 

PURPOSE 

The  purpose  of  this  standard  is  to  specify  the  basic  conditions  that  have  to  be  met 

when installing a test room. 

3. 

GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR INSTALLATION 

The premises, however large they are, shall meet the following specifications: 

They  shall  be  pleasant  and  suitably  lighted  but  neutral  in  style.  For  this  purpose,  a 
soothing,  plain,  light  colour  is  recommended  for  the  walls  so  that  a  relaxed  atmosphere  is 
created 1/. 

The  premises  shall  be  such  that  they  are  easily  cleaned  and  shall  be  separated  from 
any source of noise; consequently, they shall preferably be sound-proofed. They shall also be 
kept free from extraneous odours for which purpose, if possible, they shall be fitted with an 
effective  ventilation  device.  If  the  fluctuations  in  ambient  temperature  so  warrant,  the  test 
room shall be equipped with air conditioning to keep the atmosphere close to 20-25 28ºC. 

All  premises  must  be  maintained  in  accordance  with  the  Organisation’s  safety 
standards,  which  includes  all  cleaning  and  hygiene  operations  for  all  surfaces  (cabins,  seats, 
sinks,  cupboards,  refrigerators,  floors,  computer  keyboards  and  mice,  where  applicable), 
based on a schedule determined by the type of surfaces to be treated. 

1/ 

The colour scheme of the room and its lighting can affect the results of the sensory analysis. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
COI/T.20/Doc. No 6/Rev. 1 2 
Page 2 

3.1. 

Dimensions 

The dimensions of the premises often depend upon the possibilities of the laboratories 
or companies. Generally, they should be sufficiently spacious to permit the installation of ten 
booths and an area for preparing the samples. 

However, it is obvious that the larger the area set aside for the installations, the better, 
since auxiliary areas can then be provided, for instance, for cleaning apparatus, arranging food 
preparations and assembling open panels. 

3.2. 

Lighting 

General  lighting,  whether  from  sunlight  or  lamps  (for  instance, strip  lighting)  shall  be 

uniform, controllable and diffuse. 

3.3. 

Temperature 

The premises shall be kept constantly at a temperature of 20-25 28ºC. 

4. 

DESCRIPTION OF BOOTHS 

4.1. 

General characteristics 

The sensory analysis booths shall be placed alongside each other in the premises. They 
shall be identical and shall be separated by partitions which shall be sufficiently high and wide 
as to isolate the tasters when seated. 

The  booths  may  be  made  of  any  appropriate  material  which  is  easily  cleaned  and 
looked after (for instance, wood, vitrified plywood, laminated panelling, etc). If paint is used, it 
must be completely odour-free when dry. 

The  seats  provided  in  the  booths  shall  be  comfortable  and  shall  have  an  adjustable 

height device. 

Each booth shall also be provided with individual lighting, the direction and intensity of 

which may be adjusted. 

It is highly recommended that the booths be equipped with a button connected to an 
outside light which enables the taster to make known to the attendant outside that he or she 
has  finished  the  test,  requires  further  samples,  is  missing  a  piece  of  apparatus,  has  noticed 
some irregularity, or wishes information, etc. without distracting the other tasters. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
COI/T.20/Doc. No 6/Rev. 1 2 
Page 3 

4.2. 

Dimensions 

The booths shall be sufficiently large and comfortable. In general, they  shall have the 

following dimensions: 

Width: 

0.75 m (without sink)   
0.85 m (with sink) 

Length: 

0.50 m (table)   
0.20 m excess for partition 

Height of partitions: 

0.60 m minimum from table 

Height of table: 

0.75 m. 

4.3. 

Arrangement 

The table surface shall be such that it is easily cleaned. 

Part  of  this  surface  shall  be  used  for  a  sink  provided  with  running,  drinking  water. 
However, if this is not practicable, this space may be used for a tray, spittoon or similar piece 
of equipment. 

When the samples have to be kept during the test at  a  constant  temperature  that  is 
above or below ambient temperature, it is advisable to have a suitable device for this purpose 
(bain- marie, hot plate, etc.). 

A shelf may also be set up at a height of approximately 1.10 metres from the floor for 

placing various accessories (glasses, small apparatus, etc.). 

If the arrangement of the booths in the test room so permits, it is worthwhile installing 
a  device  to  facilitate  the  presentation  of  the  samples.  This  may  be  in  the  form  of  a  sliding 
hatch  (Figure  1),  a  revolving  vertical  device  (Figure  2)  suitable  for  glasses  or  cups  (tall 
containers),  or  a  horizontally-opening  hatch  when  the  containers  in  which  the  samples  are 
kept are small (Figure 3). It is simply a question of ensuring that the opening is large enough 
for the trays and glasses containing the samples to pass through. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
COI/T.20/Doc. No 6/Rev. 1 2 
Page 4 

5. 

ADDITIONAL PREMISES 

If  there  is  sufficient  space,  it  is  advisable  to  provide  separate  premises  for  preparing 
the samples (test kitchen if culinary or other tests are planned), shelves for arranging glasses 
or  apparatus  and  rooms  for  holding  discussions  prior  to  or  after  the  tests.  If  available,  such 
premises  shall  be  kept  clean;  in  no  way  shall  any  smells,  noise  or  conversations  from  these 
premises disturb the work of the assessors in the test room. 

See Figure 4 for an example of a test room and additional premises. 

Notes: 

Ideal  conditions  are  described.  However,  if  it  were  not  possible  to  have  such  an 
installation  solely  for  sensory  analyses,  the  tests  could  be  performed  in  premises  that  meet 
the minimum conditions described (lighting, temperature, noise, odours) by setting up mobile 
booths  made  up  of  folding  elements  in  such  a  way  that,  at  the  very  least,  they  isolate  the 
tasters from each other. 

Security, cleaning and hygiene procedures must always be followed. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
COI/T.20/Doc. No 6/Rev. 1 2 
Page 5 

Fig. 1 

ARRANGEMENT OF THE BOOTH 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
COI/T.20/Doc. No 6/Rev. 1 2 
Page 6 

Fig. 2 

REVOLVING DEVICE FOR PRESENTING 
SAMPLES 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
COI/T.20/Doc. No 6/Rev. 1 2 
Page 7 

Fig. 3 

HATCH FOR PRESENTING SAMPLES 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
COI/T.20/Doc. No 6/Rev. 1 2 
Page 8 

Fig. 4 

EXAMPLE OF A TEST ROOM 

A -  Tasting booths. 
B -  Room for cleaning apparatus and preparing samples 
C -  Open panel 
D -  Office 
E -  Waiting room 
F -  Refrigerator 
H -  Oven 
L -  Dishwasher 
M -  Table 
P -  Work surface 
Pi -  Sink 
Ar -  Cupboard 
Mr - Trolley 
Df -   Distribution of forms 
Mc - Round table