Quality assessments for personal care products are accompanied by panel tests in which test persons classify their sensory perception in evaluation grids. As such tests are time-consuming, it is often desirable to replace them as far as possible with instrument-based tests and to classify quality on the basis of measurement results. To do this, however, the result parameters must be brought into line with the subjective results of the panel tests – only if this is successful can test subject assessments be eliminated or at least reduced.
For the foam volume of shower products, a group from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Wissenschaftliche und Angewandte Kosmetik e.V. (DGW; German Society for Scientific and Applied Cosmetics) has carried out a broad-based comparative study between panel tests and instrumental foam analyses. The companies involved included BASF, Beiersdorf, Evonik, Henkel and Sasol as well as SGS INSTITUT FRESENIUS – and KRÜSS, whose Dynamic Foam Analyzer – DFA100 was used for foam volume measurements. A good correlation between subjective assessment and metrological foam volume determination was found, particularly for higher foaming products.
The results of the study, which was conducted in 2020, have now been published in the SOFW Journal: S. Benn, J. Blaak, D. Büning, J. Erasmy, S. Hentrey, M. Hoffmann, U. Kortemeier, S. Munke, H. Schelges, D. Segger, G. Springmann, A. Trieder, A. Wanninger: Shower Foam Volume: The Correlation of Different Sensory Panel Evaluations and Standardized Instrumental Measurements. SOFW Journal 04/25. p. 2-6.
