**D.Complexity of flavor, persistency, and texture of the positive impression:**

Complexity increases with the number/intensities of aromas and the flavor. A long and pleasant persistency of the flavor is positive.

A more long texture is more positive than a short texture.

A rough description of an example: The tester decides for A with +, for B with +, for C with -, for D with ±. In the "Quantification" column of this theoretical sample, the tester first might decide mentally on the range "around 5" and then his final score 4.8. He enters this result on the profile sheet and passes it on to the PSV. Admittedly, a tester's decision for a QHV quality "not sufficient, "upper standard," or "very good" is as exact as a decision for the intensity of fruitiness or a defect. Ultimately, homogeneity in a panel for all attributes must be intensively practiced for a non-scaled line. Since so-called "outliers" can be eliminated by the PSV (see QHV methodology), the QHV evaluation with the median is as accurate as the official panel test. All the factors to be evaluated are well known to the international olive oil experts and tasters. Only the aroma designations may differ from tester to tester and from country to country, because not all aromas are common to every tester. Regardless, however, an individual aroma or aroma bouquet can be recognized by the tester in each country, as well as the evaluation of clarity and flavor. But even better, if the tasters stay longer in the panel, the continuous training and practice allow the summary of all mentioned criteria on one additional line (**Figures 3** and **4**) at the end of the official profile sheet. This means that the taster makes his evaluation in one operation first for the classification according to Reg. (EEC) 2568/91 in its current version (or the corresponding IOC standard) and then finally his decision for the value for the QHV (method DOP-2007-2).

*Harmony (QHV): Practical Experiences with an Additional Sensory Criterion for the Quality… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.102994*


#### **Figure 6.**

*Definition of QHV quality levels for the different grades of EVOO with the method DOP-2007-2.*

The idea of this additional parameter harmony is to assign oils with the classification EVOO to additionally defined quality groups (**Figure 6**). This additional quality criterion is not regulated by law. However, the trade now has the possibility to select oils according to the requirements of the market in terms of price and quality.

The unofficial assessment of QHV in the panel test should not be mandatory, but it should be an important option for the trade. Basically, the quality of an olive oil does not remain constant, but deteriorates slightly over the course of 18 months due to decreasing fruitiness and freshness. This and the fact that in the mass market new batches have to be compiled again and again during the year due to the large quantities require constant sensory control also on the basis of specifications from the trade. These specifications must not be utopian, but must be based on realistic values depending on the season.

The QHV methodology also includes the following guidelines [13]:

