The European community has been concerned with problems that arise in the dissemination and utilization of rheological data on foodstuffs. In an effort to resolve some of these problems an EEC (European Economic Community) committee has been assessing the reliability of data obtained on food materials in different laboratories. As a result of the work of this committee it was felt worthwhile to reemphasize that the reliability of data depends on both the precision and the accuracy of the measurements. Precision relates only to the comparison of measurements of like with like and may be further subdivided into repeatability and reproducibility. These mainly involve the technique of handling the measuring instrument and the sample. Accuracy refers to an absolute standard and concerns the approach of the parameter measured to its true value, independent of the method of measurement. It is mainly concerned with calibration and a proper understanding of the behavior of the sample in the instrument. Accuracy and precision are not necessarily concomitant, though it is unlikely that the former will be achieved without the latter. Some shortcomings in reliability are illustrated by means of simple examples of the viscometry of some fluid food‐stuffs.