Skip to main content

The concept of scent is incredibly interesting. Scents aid us in understanding our experiences and the world. Scents can also remind us of distant memories. Many people smell food before they eat it, so scent is important in food analysis as well. There are ways we can study odor mixtures and how people perceive them, one of which is gas chromatography olfactometry. To learn more about gas chromatography olfactometry in food analysis, keep reading.

What Is Gas Chromatography Olfactometry?

To understand gas chromatography olfactometry in food analysis, it’s important to explain what this process does. This process combines the senses of a trained individual and gas chromatography to gather information about an aroma. Gas Chromatography Olfactometry (GC-O) puts odor to a sample’s molecules. This helps effectively detect an odor or aroma. Simultaneously, the chromatogram supplies chemical information. Olfactometry combines the process of collecting traditional chemical information with what the nose perceives, so it’s basically comparing odor with compound concentrations. The nose plays a role in the analysis process because instruments can’t detect odor presence as humans can. A trained panelist must carry out this analysis.

How GC-O Applies To Food Flavor Analysis

Think about what draws an individual to a specific dish. People mainly consume certain foods because of how they look, taste, and smell. Food flavor analysis helps determine food quality by measuring aroma and flavor profile. This process helps identify how you can make foods more enticing to people. It also helps evaluate how food scents change based on how the food is cooked, fermented, or processed. This process is helpful because it allows companies to execute a specific experience for the consumer. If a company wants their product to smell like bacon, they’ll use olfactometry to ensure the product’s scent really resembles bacon.

Ways To Make GC-O Easier for Your Laboratory

The best way to make GC-O easier for your laboratory is by purchasing high-quality instruments from a company you can trust. Analytical instruments are an investment, so it’s important to choose a company that’s got your back. Something that’s important to consider is service and repair. Make sure the company you choose offers service and repair for the equipment.

At Gentech Scientific, we offer a wide variety of high-quality analytical instruments. If you’re interested in purchasing a gas chromatography machine, we have many new and refurbished options. We also offer service and repairs. Feel free to give us a call with any questions you have about analytical instruments, as we would be happy to help.