Odour Lab Sensory Laboratory Test is Number One in the World for Accuracy and Precision

Worcester-based Air Spectrum Environmental Limited is delighted to announce that their UKAS accredited Odour Lab tested as number one for accuracy and precision against 40 other similar labs across the world.

Every year in the world of olfactometry there is a global interlaboratory comparison test for dynamic dilution olfactometry. In 2015, 40 laboratories participated in the comparison test conducted by Odournet GmbH. An external coding institution was involved in the process of the test, to ensure double-blind anonymity of results. The external coding body ensured that the data are anonymous both for participants and for the organiser. The use of the external coding body was mandatory to all participants.

As in previous years, participating laboratories were encouraged to ensure transparency through appointing an independent observer in particular to monitor the conditioning of the samples, the actual olfactometric measurement procedure and the dispatch of the results.

Director Pete Badham told us: “In the Interlab test they independently measure our accuracy and precision in accordance with the EN13725 Olfactometry Standard. Our accuracy has to be equal to or less than 0.217, and we were 0.026. Our precision needs to be equal to or less than 0.417 and we were 0.098.

In both cases we came top out of 40 participating laboratories around the world. While we have always been confident in our ability as a sensory laboratory, we are delighted to be tested and proven as the best in the world.”

Pete Badham further added: “This great result has given us the additional drive to further develop our analysis methods and gives us even more confidence in the equipment we are using. Our Scentroid olfactometer is relatively new in the marketplace when compared with some of the longer established olfactometers, however this just proves that the equipment is more than capable of accurate and repeatable results.

“Our customers can be confident that we are delivering the best test results possible using the best equipment available and as these inter-laboratory test results prove, we are operating to a very high standard. Our team worked hard to secure and maintain ISO 17025 UKAS accreditation and now being tested as number one in the world is just reward for our endeavours and desire to deliver the best for our customers.”

Odour Lab’s Scentroid SS600 olfactometer is the world’s most advanced stationary, dynamic, and fully automated olfactometer. It is capable of odour measurement and analysis to all international olfactometery standards.

An olfactometer is an instrument used to detect and measure odor dilution. Olfactometers are used in conjunction with human subjects in laboratory settings, most often in market research, to quantify and qualify human olfaction. Olfactometers are used to gauge the odor detection threshold of substances. To measure intensity, olfactometers introduce an odorous gas as a baseline against which other odours are compared.

Odour pollution can arise from various sources such as waste, water treatment, restaurants, sewerage works, landfill, petro-chemical, industrial processes, agriculture and food manufacture. Any process that handles odourous material can cause odour pollution and problems can occur at all stages of a business process. Planning and permit applications that lack sufficient impact assessments can be rejected; neighbourhood complaints can be troublesome, gaining unwanted media coverage, and in worse case scenarios sites can be prosecuted, receiving hefty fines for odour problems.