Tasting technique

Double Spoon Tasting

When tasting products, it’s important to follow proper double spoon procedure to prevent contaminating the food for the following reasons: 

• Saliva will break down starch and cause sauces to thin, significantly changing the texture of a target that might be reheated and kept for several evaluations. Same applies to products that are kept on steam table and evaluated periodically over several hours.
• Another important reason for not contaminating the food as you are tasting it is to make sure you do not share bacteria with the other tasters.

The spoon in the beaker/bowl/pot of the food to be tasted is the transfer spoon. This spoon has to be kept clean; it is not to come in contact with your tasting spoon. If you accidentally touch it to your spoon, please replace it with a clean spoon.

When you transfer the food to your own spoon, do not keep your spoon over the beaker/bowl/pot from which you are tasting. Any product that might spill from your spoon could contaminate the food to be tasted; it is better if it spills to the counter or floor, not back into the food.