Blind tastings in Geneva: Once a month there is a water tasting

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Instead of wine, regular tap water is tasted once a month in Geneva: the water testers of the Industrial Companies of Geneva (SIG) look for taste or odor defects in drinking water samples.

About thirty SIG employees from various professions participate in these monthly ‘sessions’ to detect possible odors and bad tastes. “Only the human palate is capable of this,” explains Barbara Babel, who is responsible for training the water testers. The tests are intended to supplement analyzes of the chemical and bacteriological quality of the water.

A reporter from the Keystone-SDA news agency took part in a test day with about fifteen water tasters. There were ten cups of Geneva water available for tasting, collected from various locations in Geneva the day before. “They are then all heated in a water bath to 23 degrees. At this temperature you can perceive the flavors better,” says Babel.

The tastings take place blind. Using evaluation forms, the testers assess possible tastes of the water (sour, sweet, salty, bitter) or discover possible defects (stale taste, chlorine, earth, perfume, fish, pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbons, metal and others).

Participants rinse their mouths with plain water between each taste, and like wine, there are bowls to spit out the liquid. “And before the test, pay attention to what you eat or drink: some tastes such as coffee, cigarettes or the smell of tangerines on your hands can easily be misleading,” says Babel.

The testers also taste samples based on consumer complaints. “SIG receives approximately 50 of these types of complaints every year. Our operational teams can then change certain settings, for example if there is too much chlorine,” says Hervé Guinand, Director of Quality, Environment, Health and Safety at SIG.

Because the water quality is often good, specially adapted water is also offered for further training of the testers. For example, chlorine, metal, hydrocarbons or bitter substances are added to the water,” Babel continues. As an added challenge, the liquid is colored pink, yellow or blue, which can affect the senses.

Given the sometimes unappetizing experience, a third, more playful test can bring the meeting to a festive end. The aim is to discover a taste, for example in an ice cream, a puree or in chocolate. On this tasting day, artichoke puree and ginger ice cream were served.

The Water Tasters Brigade was founded in 2000. At that time, more than 300 employees followed SIG’s call. Ultimately, only the twenty most beautiful noses were selected for the water tastings. “Some of them can even identify the area from which the water was taken,” Babel continued. In total, around 3,500 tests are carried out during the year.

(SDA)

Source:Blick