<table border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing="0"><tr><td>
<pre>California Taste Panel:

In 1997 I started selecting tasters though a protocol developed by the
IOOC. It involves a 3 day course and testing procedure to see if potential
tasters
have a sensitive palate and can distinguish olive olive oil defects at
different concentrations. After 2 years we have 22 tasters and about
12-15 are active. We meet twice per month to train, and evaluate
oils. As one of the panel heads, Roberto Zecca is the other, I require
the tasters to provide consistent ratings for oils they taste. I test
them using standard samples and compare their results.

We recentely have been admitted to the group of new taste panels being
evaluated for IOOC official recognition. This is a yearly testing
procedure that involves being tested with their standard samples and
being compared to all of the world's taste panels. We hope to be recognized in
December of 2001, so this is a long process.

Paul Vossen - University of California Cooperative Extension
2604 Ventura Avenue - Santa Rosa, CA 95403
(707) 565-2621 [work] (707) 565-2623 [fax] pmvossen@ucdavis.edu [email]



Tom & Sue wrote:

> Stan,
> Tasting classes were held at UC Davis at intervals over the period of a
> year. Interested parties that scored well on the tests then formed into
> groups and a selection process weeded out good tasters from not so good
> tasters. I believe a Professor from Italy was involved in this process as
> was Paul Vossen, UCD and Roberto Zecco (now the President of the COOC).
> They mirrored the environment that exists for the IOOC in Madrid, and I
> think they were also in contact with that body too throughout the creation
> of the tasting panel. The COOC website will probably have more details and
> uvasteve@pacific.net (Steve Tylicki) one of the Masters Tasters could give
> you a lot more insight into the process, since he was involved since the
> very beginning.
> cheers,
> Sue Ellery
> Stella Cadente Olive Oil
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Stan Kailis <kailis@ca.com.au>
> To: <OliveOil@egroups.com>
> Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2001 10:42 AM
> Subject: Re: [OliveOil] Response for Wendy Rowe.
>
> > Regarding the olive oil testing in Calfornia. Could we hear how the
> > panel assembled and trained?
> >
> > Stan Kailis
> >
> >
> > ******* A MESSAGE FROM THE MODERATOR ********
> >
> > 2.6. When replying to a post, do not include the entire text of the
> original post. Keep only what is relevant. By selectively deleting
> unnecessary parts of the original text, you will make your reply easier to
> follow. To show where you
> > delete text, the <snip> notation may be used.
> >
> > ************************************************** ***
> > INDUSTRY BOOKS: http://sadoun.bizland.com/olive.htm
> > ************************************************** ***
> > Addresses:
> > Post message: OliveOil@egroups.com
> > Subscribe: OliveOil-subscribe@egroups.com
> > Unsubscribe: OliveOil-unsubscribe@egroups.com
> > List owner: OliveOil-owner@egroups.com
> > URL to this page: http://www.egroups.com/group/OliveOil
> >
> >
> >
>
> ************************************************** ***
> BOOKS ON OLIVE: http://sadoun.bizland.com/olive.htm
> ************************************************** ***
> Addresses:
> Post message: OliveOil@egroups.com
> Subscribe: OliveOil-subscribe@egroups.com
> Unsubscribe: OliveOil-unsubscribe@egroups.com
> List owner: OliveOil-owner@egroups.com
> URL to this page: http://www.egroups.com/group/OliveOil

--
Paul Vossen - University of California Cooperative Extension
2604 Ventura Avenue - Santa Rosa, CA 95403
(707) 565-2621 [work] (707) 565-2623 [fax] pmvossen@ucdavis.edu [email]
</pre>
</td></tr></table>