The FlavorActiV Soft Drink Open Proficiency Scheme is a structured sensory evaluation programme to train, calibrate, and maintain the flavour-detection skills of tasters and quality control professionals in carbonated soft drinks (CSD) and non-alcoholic beverage production.
Available as a single round or annual subscription, this pay-as-you-go option provides immediate access to a globally recognised proficiency framework without a long-term commitment.
We ship globally – shipping costs may apply depending on your region
A Soft Drink Sensory Open Proficiency Scheme is a standardised testing programme that challenges tasters to identify specific flavour compounds in a beverage matrix. Participants are scored against an industry benchmark to track individual performance, identify skill gaps, and demonstrate panel competency to stakeholders.
SINGLE ROUND VS ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION
Choose the option that fits your panel’s schedule and budget.
Annual Round
Single Program
No of Rounds
4
1
Cost per round
£300
£350
TVS Access
Full
Limited
Certification
Yes
No
Proficiency Test
Flavour Identification
Flavour Identification
Subscription
Annual subscription
Pay as you go
HOW THE SOFT DRINK OPEN PROFICIENCY SCHEME WORKS
Step-by-Step Process:
Step 1 – Receive Your GMP Flavour Standard Capsules Your kit ships worldwide and includes pharmaceutical-grade GMP Flavour Standard capsules. Each capsule is blister-packaged to maintain integrity until use. Capsules dissolve in a soft drink base to create a precisely dosed flavour challenge sample.
Step 2 – Conduct the Tasting Tasters evaluate each sample and identify the flavour compound present. The scheme tests recognition of key soft drink off-flavours and quality markers relevant to CSD production, quality control, and product development.
Step 3 – Log Results on the TVS Platform Scores are entered into FlavorActiV’s proprietary TVS, a mobile-friendly, cloud-based platform accessible worldwide. Single-round participants receive limited access, while annual subscribers get full access, including historical trend data. You can then review your performance data.
The TVS generates an individual performance report highlighting strengths, weaknesses, and areas for focused training. Use the results to guide targeted panel development and demonstrate sensory competency across your organisation.
WHY RUN A SOFT DRINK OPEN PROFICIENCY PROGRAMME?
Regular proficiency testing delivers measurable commercial and operational value:
– Reduces the risk of releasing products with undesirable off-flavours – Lowers the cost of specialist sensory training by identifying where to focus development – Reveals each taster’s individual strengths and weaknesses for targeted coaching – Demonstrates panel competency to customers, auditors, and accreditation bodies – Supports staff retention by investing in professional skill development – Attracts quality-conscious talent who value rigorous sensory standards – Improves product consistency and protects brand quality in the market
WHO IS THIS PROFICIENCY SCHEME DESIGNED FOR?
The Soft Drink Open Proficiency Scheme – Single Round is suitable for:
– Quality control managers and sensory panellists in carbonated soft drink production – R&D and product development teams working on CSD, dilutables, or non-alcoholic beverages – Organisations trialling proficiency testing before committing to an annual programme – Panels that require periodic rather than continuous calibration – Companies preparing for customer or third-party sensory audits
GET STARTED TODAY
Enhance your sensory expertise and ensure product consistency by joining the Soft Drink Open Proficiency Scheme today.
FlavorActiV GMP Flavour Standards
Only Pharmaceutical Quality GMP Flavour Standards provide sufficient quality for professional sensory panels to train and validate with.
We produce encapsulated GMP (Pharmaceutical Good Manufacturing Practice) Flavour Standards that are safe to both smell and drink. The compounds within our capsules impart the aroma, taste and mouthfeel of a specific defect or positive flavour into a beverage for the purposes of taster training, calibration and quality control.
Our individual flavour GMP Flavour Standards are sold by flavour, each flavour pack contains 5 capsules, each separately blister packaged. Our sensory kits contain a mixture of flavours, each separately blister packaged, read the product description for flavour details.
We ship globally, and have over 20 years of experience at it. Our GMP Pharmaceutical Flavour Standards are produced to the highest standards, and as such, their shelf-life is strong and their quality consistent.
FlavorActiV’s flavour centre is the world’s only pharmaceutically run facility dedicated to the production of flavour reference standards. The Flavour Centre is a state-of-the-art facility housed within the campus of world-renowned Quay Pharma near Liverpool in the U.K.
The Flavour Centre was designed by FlavorActiV from the ground up at the direct request of global customers as they looked to move away from inferior food grade ‘certified flavour standards’ to GMP Pharma, a standard that ensures safe, stable, traceable, consistent and long shelf-life products.
All FlavorActiV’s industry-leading encapsulated flavour standards are manufactured following GMP at our Flavour Centre. All aspects of manufacture are overseen by Quay Pharma who are audited by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.K. Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory agency (MHRA). We also welcome customer audits.
Only FlavorActiV GMP flavour standard capsules bear our mark of authenticity.
We brand each of our capsules so that our customers know they’re getting the Pharmaceutical GMP Quality that only FlavorActiV provide.
Industry leading packaging and shelf-life
FlavorActiV flavour standards are blister packaged, which extends shelf-life and protects capsules from potential contamination. The average shelf-life of FlavorActiV flavour standards is 18 months to 4 years, depending on the flavour compounds.
We will never ship in pots or plastic packaging, here’s why…
Blister packaging protects capsules from the environment until they are ready for use. Blister packaging greatly reduces the amount of headspace for possible flavour escape. As each capsule individually blister packaged, making use of one capsule still leaves all others protected. FlavorActiV Flavour Standard packaging is 100% recyclable, as opposed to polypropylene which is not widely recycled.
Pots are semi-porous, they allow molecules to pass through and flavour to be lost, their significant headspace also adds to substantial flavour escape as a gas, even when using just one capsule all those remaining in the pot are exposed.
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