Overview
● You would like to manage the odor quality of your products as consumer awareness of odors in living environments continues to increase.
● You would like to establish or revise odor-related quality standards but are unsure where to begin.
● You already have odor quality standards for your products and would like to evaluate odor characteristics objectively
(such as odor intensity, preference, and perceived differences, which are inherently subjective, by quantifying them as objectively as possible).
To address these needs, we provide consulting services for establishing or reviewing product odor quality standards, as well as designing quality control testing programs based on sensory evaluation using the human sense of smell.*1
If you face any of these challenges, we encourage you to contact us.
*1: In addition to measuring the Odor Index (odor concentration) specified under the Offensive Odor Control Act, evaluations are conducted by trained odor panels using methods such as odor intensity (6-point scale), hedonic tone (9-point pleasantness/unpleasantness scale), non-acceptance rate, odor quality descriptors, and significance testing using the two-point comparison method.
Typical Applications
Our services are commonly used in the following four situations.
When you need to establish odor quality standards
When you need to review existing odor quality standards
During the development of products that generate odors
When customer complaints are received regarding odors emitted from products
Investigation & Analysis Process
When creating odor quality standards from the ground up, it is necessary to determine the acceptable level of odor for the product and standardize the odor evaluation method. When existing quality standards no longer reflect actual conditions—for example, when they fail to address customer complaints—we work closely with you to review and improve the standards by testing various evaluation methods tailored to the characteristics of your product.
- Step 1
- Consultation
We begin by discussing the background behind your need for odor quality standards, the product itself, and the odors generated by the product. Through detailed consultations, we determine the most appropriate direction for developing the standards.
- Step 2
- Development of Quality Standards
Working together with your team, we conduct actual odor measurements while establishing product odor quality standards, including acceptable odor levels and standardized odor evaluation procedures.
- Step 3
- Quality Compliance Testing
Once the quality standards have been established, we can continue to perform routine compliance testing, including lot-by-lot inspections and evaluations during new product development, to verify that product odors consistently meet the established quality criteria.
Features
Development of Odor Quality Standards
One of our strengths is working together with customers through practical testing to develop odor quality standards that are both effective and realistic.
Objective Quantification of Odors
We maintain a trained sensory panel capable of conducting various sensory evaluations using statistical methods to provide objective assessments of odor characteristics.
Dedicated Smoking-Related Research Facility
We operate a dedicated smoking research facility that complies with the technical requirements for designated smoking rooms under Japan's revised Health Promotion Act.
