TS 13135

TS 13135 provides guidance on how to interpret and apply TS EN ISO/IEC 17025 in the accreditation of sensory testing laboratories. Its focus is the competence of laboratories that assess products through human perception—such as taste, odour, texture, appearance and related sensory attributes—where the reliability of the work depends not only on instruments, but also on panel performance and controlled test conditions.

What the document means in practice

Sensory analysis differs from purely instrumental testing because the measurement process involves trained assessors and the management of human response. In practice, this means issues such as panel selection, assessor training, sample presentation, environmental control, data recording and result interpretation become central. The standard offers general guidance for placing these laboratories within an accreditation framework, helping to translate the competence, impartiality and quality-system concepts of ISO/IEC 17025 into sensory-testing contexts.

Technical context and boundaries

• It is based on EA 4/09:2003 and aligned with the European Accreditation approach.
• It supports the competence assessment of laboratories using sensory methods together with TS EN ISO/IEC 17025.
• Its references include standards on sensory terminology, panel selection and training, test environments and related ISO guidance.
• It is guidance, not a replacement for the detailed procedures of individual sensory test methods.

For organisations working with sensory evaluation, TS 13135 serves as a practical reference for understanding how accreditation concepts apply to this specialised type of laboratory work. Its value lies in clarifying the technical context in which sensory results are generated, controlled and assessed.