Assessment of Food Quality - Instrumental Techniques

Classical Methods in Organoleptic Quality Evaluation

• Based on sensory analysis by a group of trained panelists
• Limited by human factors (olfactory sensitivity, well-being, physical and mental state, tiredness, anosmia)

Instrumental Analysis

• Complements sensory analysis
• Offers advantages over sensory analysis (repeatability, reproducibility, compound identification, quantitative analysis)

Chromatographic Techniques

• Gas chromatography is one of the most often employed methods
• Enables analysis of individual aromatic compounds
• Gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) examines single compounds responsible for aroma

Gas Chromatography-Olfactometry (GC-O)

• Technique based on sensory evaluation of eluate from chromatographic column by trained assessors
• Allows for quantitative and qualitative odor evaluation
• Enables description, duration, and intensity evaluation of odorous stimuli
• Identifies compounds responsible for unique aroma or taints of food products

Electronic Nose (E-nose)

• Device consisting of a matrix of electrochemical sensors selective for certain volatile compounds
• Equipped with a pattern recognition system for identification of simple and complex odors
• Cheap, fast, and an alternative to expensive food quality assessment methods

Functioning of Electronic Nose

• Sensors employ changes in resistance and other physical and chemo-physical phenomena
• Similar to biological olfactory cells, which function based on depolarization of epithelium (sodium-potassium pump principle)

Applications of Electronic Nose

• Designed for use in industries where aroma plays a significant role

Food Traceability

• Under EU law, means the ability to track food, feed, food-producing animals, or substances through all stages of production, processing, and distribution

This quiz covers the use of instrumental techniques, including E-nose devices, for assessing food quality. Learn about the advantages of these methods over traditional approaches.