What is a flavour threshold?
A common definition describes the flavour threshold as the concentration of a flavour compound needed to allow either its detection (detection flavour threshold) or identification (recognition flavour threshold). These definitions are not quite accurate in the case of flavour thresholds determined using the Recommended Methods of the ASBC. This method uses a series of three-glass difference tests to identify the concentration of flavour substance needed to give a significant difference in the test. At the flavour threshold, the average assessor will get a three glass test correct 50% of the time (as opposed to 33% of the time by chance). In other words, someone who is of less than average ability (ie 49% of the population) will get the test wrong more than 50% of the time.
