Sniffin’ Sticks On-Paper

In order to avoid nose contact of the Sniffin’ Sticks in a self-administered setting with narrow personnel resources, it has previously been tested if the 16-odor identification test can be “painted” on a sheet of paper. No significant differences were observed between the results of standard-assisted and “odor-curves-on-paper” method (1). In a recent update, the method was also deemed applicable for odor discrimination testing (2). There were restrictions for threshold testing, mainly because, due to the lack of an assistant, a different test method had to be applied. It remains to be determined if an assisted threshold testing can be performed on a paper.
In the current COVID-19 pandemic this method may be used in an assisted setting to avoid contamination of the Sniffin’ Sticks.
Burghart Messtechnik will soon offer cellulose paper strips for odor transfer. Sniffin’ Sticks are sufficient for at least 1000 test strips, but the expiration date may be shortened.


1- Christian A. Mueller, Elisabeth Grassinger, Asami Naka, Andreas F.P. Temmel, Thomas Hummel, Gerd Kobal. A Self-administered Odor Identification Test Procedure Using the “Sniffin' Sticks”. Chemical Senses 31,6 595–598 (2006).
https://doi.org/10.1093/chemse/bjj064

2- Besser, G., Liu, D.T., Renner, B. et al. Self-Administered Testing of Odor Threshold and Discrimination Using Sniffin’ Sticks—Reviving the “Odor-Curves-On-Paper” Method. Chem. Percept. 13, 71–77 (2020).
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12078-019-09263-x

Recommendations DGHNO-KHC and BVHNO:

https://cdn.hno.org/media/Corona-Ticker/Handlungsempfehlungen_HNO-Elektiveingriffe_Corona_28-4-20.pdf

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