Novel multi-gas chromatography-olfactometry device and software for the identification of odour-active compounds

J Chromatogr A. 2007 Mar 30;1146(1):85-92. doi: 10.1016/j.chroma.2006.12.102. Epub 2007 Jan 13.

Abstract

The aim of this work was to devise a novel fully computerised chromatography-olfactometry system where eight sniffers detect volatile compounds obtained from a single chromatographic separation. The technical options taken to implement this system are described in detail. The new methods and software developed and applied to analyse data obtained by gas chromatography-olfactometry and mass spectrometry (GC-O/MS) are presented. We found that 46 odorous zones could be detected by a panel of eight sniffers during the 35min of the analysis of the volatile compounds extracted from a cheese by purge-and-trap. Synchronisation of olfactometry and mass spectrometry data enabled us to propose 44 structures to account for 44 out of these 46 odorous zones.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cheese / analysis
  • Food Analysis / methods*
  • Fruit / chemistry
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / instrumentation
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / methods*
  • Odorants / analysis*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Software*
  • Volatilization
  • Yogurt / analysis