What is eaten or drunk?
Choose the finished product, not simply the ingredient given most prominence on the pack.
Product categories
Product categories
Choose the category that matches the product people actually eat or drink.
Each category explains what belongs there, how the sample is prepared, what assessors pay attention to and which nearby categories may be a better fit.
A practical starting point
Choose by the finished experience
Three questions normally identify the right route. They keep the choice focused on the product being tasted rather than its packaging or claims.
How is it normally served?
Include brewing, heating, chilling, diluting or cooking when preparation changes the experience.
What defines the bite or sip?
Use the structure that carries the experience: bread, sauce, drink, protein, dessert or complete dish.
Different products need different preparation
Assessment methods by product form
The star scale stays the same. What changes is the defined route used to prepare, portion and serve the product fairly.
Ambient Direct Solid
Ready-to-eat solids are served in a stable ordinary condition as representative natural units or complete bites.
Used forPreserved, Pickled and Fermented Fruit and VegetablesHerbs, Spices, Salts and SeasoningsSnacks, Nuts, Seeds, Bars and Breakfast CerealsRice, Grains, Pasta, Noodles and PulsesCheese and Cheese-Style ProductsMeat, Poultry, Game, Eggs and Savoury Protein AlternativesFish, Shellfish, Seaweed and Marine FoodsPrepared Meals, Soups and Composite Dishes
Fresh Produce
Fresh produce is selected and divided through a balanced plan that controls ripeness, natural variation, and cut-surface change.
Baked, Crumb and Laminated Structure
Baked products are portioned to preserve the relationship among crust, crumb, layers, filling, and surface elements.
Crisp, Coated and Melt-Sensitive Pieces
Melt- and humidity-sensitive pieces are served in a condition that preserves their intended snap, melt, chew, aeration, or crunch.
Viscous, Semi-Solid and Spreadable Product
Semi-solid products are served directly where meaningful and retain intentional layers, pieces, crystals, or separation unless ordinary use calls for mixing.
Concentrated Seasoning and Defined Carrier
Concentrated products are expressed through a defined low-interference carrier, dilution, or cooked application that reflects ordinary use.
Oil and Fat
Oils and fats are served in small defined portions at a state that reveals intended aroma, coating, melt, and finish.
Used forOils, Fats and Butter
Brewed, Extracted or Reconstituted Drink
Prepared drinks use a recorded water, ratio, time, temperature, extraction, and service sequence.
Still Non-Alcoholic Liquid
Still ready-to-drink liquids are conditioned, opened, poured, and served consistently without material preparation.
Carbonated or Effervescent Liquid
Carbonated drinks are opened and poured in defined waves so gas level, volume, and headspace remain comparable.
Fermented Alcoholic Drink
Fermented alcoholic drinks use defined temperature, opening, aeration, sediment handling, portion, and cumulative exposure.
Distilled, High-Alcohol or Liqueur Drink
High-alcohol drinks use small consistent pours, defined dilution only where integral, and explicit exposure and recovery controls.
Chilled, Frozen or Tempered Product
Temperature-sensitive products are served in timed waves at a defined temper, thaw, or melt state.
Used forCakes, Pastries and BiscuitsSnacks, Nuts, Seeds, Bars and Breakfast CerealsCheese and Cheese-Style ProductsMilk, Cultured Products and Dairy-Style ProductsChilled and Frozen DessertsOils, Fats and ButterMeat, Poultry, Game, Eggs and Savoury Protein AlternativesFish, Shellfish, Seaweed and Marine FoodsPrepared Meals, Soups and Composite Dishes
Cooked Single-Component Product
Single-component products are cooked or reheated through a defined endpoint and portioned across meaningful natural variation.
Used forFresh and Minimally Processed Fruit and VegetablesHerbs, Spices, Salts and SeasoningsBread, Flour and Baking MixesRice, Grains, Pasta, Noodles and PulsesSauces, Dressings, Condiments, Vinegars, Dips and Savoury SpreadsMeat, Poultry, Game, Eggs and Savoury Protein AlternativesFish, Shellfish, Seaweed and Marine Foods
Heated Composite Dish
Composite dishes are prepared and portioned so every assessor receives the intended relationship of their meaningful components.
Browse the complete directory
All 24 product categories
Search by product name, family or assessment method. Each category page gives the complete serving and tasting guidance.
24categories shown
Natural and Preserved Foods
Honey and Apicultural Products
Edible products in which honey or another apicultural food remains the principal tasting identity.
Assessment method: Viscous, Semi-Solid and Spreadable ProductRead category guidance Natural and Preserved FoodsFresh and Minimally Processed Fruit and Vegetables
Fruit, vegetables, fungi, and edible plant products presented fresh or with only preparation that preserves their fresh sensory identity.
Assessment method: Fresh ProduceRead category guidance Natural and Preserved FoodsSweet Preserves, Syrups and Sweet Spreads
Sweet preserves, table syrups, and sweet spreads whose principal experience is spoonable, pourable, spreadable, gelled, pulped, piece-containing, or concentrated sweetness with a recognisable ingredient identity.
Assessment method: Viscous, Semi-Solid and Spreadable ProductRead category guidance Natural and Preserved FoodsPreserved, Pickled and Fermented Fruit and Vegetables
Fruit, vegetables, fungi, and related plant foods preserved in juice, brine, syrup, oil, acid, or their own fermented medium while retaining a recognisable ingredient or piece identity.
Assessment method: Ambient Direct SolidRead category guidance Natural and Preserved FoodsHerbs, Spices, Salts and Seasonings
Concentrated aromatic, pungent, salty, or flavour-building products intended to season food rather than be consumed as a normal portion on their own.
Assessment method: Concentrated Seasoning and Defined CarrierRead category guidance Grains, Bakery and SnacksBread, Flour and Baking Mixes
Bread-led products and grain inputs whose intended identity is expressed through a baked staple or a standard bake prepared from the submitted mix.
Assessment method: Baked, Crumb and Laminated StructureRead category guidance Grains, Bakery and SnacksCakes, Pastries and Biscuits
Sweet or lightly savoury baked products in which crumb, lamination, snap, filling, or baked richness defines the eating experience.
Assessment method: Baked, Crumb and Laminated StructureRead category guidance Grains, Bakery and SnacksChocolate and Confectionery
Chocolate, sugar confectionery, and sweet pieces whose pleasure depends on flavour release, melt, chew, snap, aeration, or filling balance.
Assessment method: Crisp, Coated and Melt-Sensitive PiecesRead category guidance Grains, Bakery and SnacksSnacks, Nuts, Seeds, Bars and Breakfast Cereals
Portionable snack foods and breakfast cereals whose identity is expressed through direct eating or a simple declared cereal service, including crisp, puffed, roasted, clustered, extruded, dried, flaked, or bar-shaped products.
Assessment method: Ambient Direct SolidRead category guidance Grains, Bakery and SnacksRice, Grains, Pasta, Noodles and Pulses
Staple grain, pasta, noodle, pulse, and grain-like products assessed after careful cooking, rehydration, or preparation.
Assessment method: Cooked Single-Component ProductRead category guidance Dairy, Fats and CondimentsCheese and Cheese-Style Products
Dairy and non-dairy products presented and consumed primarily as cheese, with texture, maturation, salting, and flavour release central to the experience.
Assessment method: Chilled, Frozen or Tempered ProductRead category guidance Dairy, Fats and CondimentsMilk, Cultured Products and Dairy-Style Products
Pourable, spoonable, cultured, creamy, or dairy-style foods whose primary identity is milk-like, yogurt-like, cream-like, or cultured rather than cheese or dessert.
Assessment method: Chilled, Frozen or Tempered ProductRead category guidance Dairy, Fats and CondimentsChilled and Frozen Desserts
Sweet desserts served chilled, frozen, semi-frozen, or at a defined softened state where temperature strongly shapes flavour and texture.
Assessment method: Chilled, Frozen or Tempered ProductRead category guidance Dairy, Fats and CondimentsOils, Fats and Butter
Edible oils and fats whose aroma, flavour, coating, melt, and finish are assessed as the principal product experience.
Assessment method: Oil and FatRead category guidance Dairy, Fats and CondimentsSauces, Dressings, Condiments, Vinegars, Dips and Savoury Spreads
Products used to season, coat, dip, dress, accompany, or spread, including acid, savoury, fermented, emulsified, and concentrated forms.
Assessment method: Concentrated Seasoning and Defined CarrierRead category guidance Non-Alcoholic BeveragesTea, Coffee, Cocoa and Infusions
Dry, concentrated, portioned, or prepared products whose intended identity is revealed through brewing, infusion, extraction, dissolution, or a declared prepared serving.
Assessment method: Brewed, Extracted or Reconstituted DrinkRead category guidance Non-Alcoholic BeveragesWater
Still or sparkling drinking water in which water character, mineral impression, cleanliness, texture, and finish are the principal experience.
Assessment method: Still Non-Alcoholic LiquidRead category guidance Non-Alcoholic BeveragesNon-Alcoholic Ready-to-Drink Beverages and Mixers
Non-alcoholic liquids served without material preparation, including still, carbonated, juice-led, fermented-style, energy, sports, and mixer products.
Assessment method: Still Non-Alcoholic LiquidRead category guidance Alcoholic BeveragesWine and Wine-Style Drinks
Grape and other wine-style drinks whose identity centres on vinous aroma, acidity, sweetness, tannin or phenolic structure, alcohol integration, and finish.
Assessment method: Fermented Alcoholic DrinkRead category guidance Alcoholic BeveragesBeer, Cider and Other Fermented Alcoholic Drinks
Fermented alcoholic drinks whose enjoyment depends on fermentation character, malt, grain, fruit, botanical, acidity, bitterness, carbonation, body, and finish.
Assessment method: Fermented Alcoholic DrinkRead category guidance Alcoholic BeveragesSpirits, Liqueurs and Alcoholic Mixed Drinks
Distilled, compounded, sweetened, aromatised, or mixed alcoholic drinks where alcohol integration and concentrated flavour are central to the experience.
Assessment method: Distilled, High-Alcohol or Liqueur DrinkRead category guidance Proteins and Composite FoodsMeat, Poultry, Game, Eggs and Savoury Protein Alternatives
Animal and alternative savoury protein products assessed as a primary protein portion, whether fresh, cooked, cured, smoked, minced, formed, preserved, or ready to eat.
Assessment method: Cooked Single-Component ProductRead category guidance Proteins and Composite FoodsFish, Shellfish, Seaweed and Marine Foods
Aquatic and marine foods presented as a primary fish, shellfish, mollusc, crustacean, seaweed, roe, cured, preserved, or seafood-style experience.
Assessment method: Cooked Single-Component ProductRead category guidance Proteins and Composite FoodsPrepared Meals, Soups and Composite Dishes
Products intended to be experienced as a composed dish, meal, soup, side dish, filled preparation, or multi-component serving rather than as one ingredient or accompaniment.
Assessment method: Heated Composite DishRead category guidanceNo matching category
Try the main ingredient, the finished product name or the way it is normally served.
Get help choosing a categoryWhen two categories still seem possible
Ask before sending the sample
Compare the boundary guidance on both category pages. If the choice would change how the product is prepared or served, send us the product form and its ordinary serving method.
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