ISO 8589-Compliant Sensory Labs
Individual booths, calibrated lighting, temperature control, acoustic isolation. Every respondent evaluates under identical conditions.
Quantitative Research
CLT Research in Poland
Controlled product testing in professional sensory research facilities
Laboratory Precision for Product Decisions
Need laboratory-grade precision for your product test? CLT (Central Location Test) is where science meets consumer opinion. Unlike a standard hall test, CLT locks down every variable that could skew results: sample temperature measured before each serving, portions weighed to the gram, tasting order randomised by Latin square design, and palate cleansed between samples with water and unsalted crackers. At Fieldstat, we run CLT studies in dedicated sensory labs equipped with individual evaluation booths, calibrated lighting, and climate control — all compliant with ISO 8589:2007.
Who Needs CLT?
Who needs this level of control? R&D teams making reformulation decisions where a 5% flavour shift matters. Quality managers verifying that a recipe change is imperceptible to consumers (triangle test). Brand teams choosing between three packaging concepts for a national launch. FMCG companies benchmarking their product blind against the market leader. If the wrong product decision costs your company a production run, a CLT gives you the data to get it right the first time.
Test Formats & Methodology
What we test — and how. We run monadic tests (one product, pure reaction), sequential monadic (two or three variants in rotated order), paired comparisons (side by side), triangle tests (three samples — spot the different one), and full Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA) with trained expert panels. For packaging, we build simulated store shelves and measure eye fixation, recall, and preference. For advertising, we show concepts on calibrated screens under identical viewing conditions. Every format follows ISO 13299 and ASTM E18 standards.
Investment & Deliverables
What you invest — and what you get back. A monadic CLT with 80–100 respondents at one location typically costs PLN 25,000–45,000 and runs 1–3 days of fieldwork. You receive preference scores with statistical significance tests, sensory attribute profiles, and — for QDA — spider diagrams mapping your product against competitors on 15–20 attributes. The investment is higher than CAWI, but when your product decision is worth millions in production and marketing spend, CLT is the cheapest insurance you can buy.
Why Fieldstat?
Blind Testing Specialists
Products served in coded, neutral containers. No brand cues, no bias — just pure consumer perception.
Trained Expert Panels (QDA)
For R&D-grade sensory profiles, we recruit and calibrate expert assessors who rate 15–20 attributes per product.
Full-Service Logistics
Product transport, cold chain, portioning, serving — we manage everything so your team focuses on decisions, not operations.
Benefits
- Every variable controlled: temperature, portion, light, order
- ISO 8589, ISO 13299, ASTM E18 compliant protocols
- Blind and coded tests eliminate brand influence
- Latin square rotation removes order bias
- QDA sensory profiles with spider diagrams
- Palate cleansing protocol between samples
- Statistical significance testing on all preference data
- Individual booths prevent respondent influence
Applications
Food & beverage taste, aroma, and texture testing
Recipe change validation (triangle test)
Competitive blind benchmarking (your product vs. rivals)
Packaging shelf impact and readability evaluation
Cosmetics texture, fragrance & absorption testing
Advertising concept testing under controlled viewing
Prototype evaluation (appearance, ergonomics, build quality)
QDA sensory profiling for R&D and quality control
Implementation Process
1
Test Design
We select the right format (monadic, triangle, QDA) based on your research question and build the evaluation protocol.
2
Respondent Screening
We recruit category users from our database. For QDA, we screen for taste sensitivity and train the expert panel.
3
Lab Setup & Product Prep
We prepare the venue, calibrate conditions, portion products, and set up rotation schedules and cleansing protocols.
4
Testing Sessions
Respondents evaluate in individual booths. Data captured on tablets in real time. Supervisors monitor every session.
5
Analysis & Sensory Report
Preference scores, significance tests, sensory profiles, spider diagrams — plus strategic recommendations for your R&D or marketing team.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does CLT differ from a hall test?
CLT provides full environmental control (temperature, humidity, lighting, acoustics) and individual evaluation booths — making it the standard for sensory and food science research. Hall tests are broader: they cover product, packaging, and advertising testing in any rented venue. If your test requires scientific precision, choose CLT. If you need scale and speed, choose a hall test.
How much does CLT research in Poland cost?
A standard CLT with 80–100 respondents costs approximately PLN 25,000–45,000. QDA with trained expert panels costs more due to assessor recruitment and calibration. Multi-city or multi-product studies scale proportionally.
How many respondents do you need?
For consumer preference tests: 60–80 per product variant (minimum for statistical significance). For comparative tests with 2–3 products: 100–150 respondents. For expert sensory panels (QDA): 8–15 trained assessors.
Can you run blind tests against competitor products?
Yes. Products are served in neutral, coded containers without any brand identification. This is the gold standard for objective competitive benchmarking — eliminating all brand equity bias from the evaluation.
What environmental conditions do you control?
Temperature (measured before each serving), lighting (calibrated to ISO 8589), humidity, acoustic isolation, portion size (weighed to the gram), serving order (Latin square randomisation), and inter-sample cleansing protocol.
How long does a CLT project take?
Preparation (questionnaire, recruitment, product logistics) takes 2–3 weeks. Fieldwork runs 1–3 days per location. Report delivery within 1 week after fieldwork. Total timeline: 4–5 weeks.
Industry Sources & Standards
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