Off-Odors
Tracking down flavors and fragrances with automated sample preparation and GC-O analysis.
An off-odor is a sensory perception of an odor-producing substance emitted by a source that smells other than expected. Such a substance can have entered the product due to impurities in the raw materials, processing systems or packaging materials. An off-odor can arise due to the decomposition of naturally contained substances as a result of oxidation or the effects of light or heat. Even changes to the relative concentrations of aroma components can result in undesired changes.
The causes of off-odors are usually unknown and need to be detected quickly. As many of these odor-producing compounds also have an extremely low odor threshold, GERSTEL technologies such as the Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction (SBSE) or Dynamic Headspace (DHS) come in to play. They require a minimum of sample preparation while enriching the analytes at the same time and considerably shorten the overall analysis time while completely covering the entire analyte area.
To find the metaphorical needle in the haystack, the analysis system often has to be supplemented with the GERSTEL Olfactory Detection Port (ODP) and the AromaOffice software for the reliable identification of aroma components.