According to a recent poll we shared on LinkedIn, one of the most challenging parts of analyzing Aroma, Flavor, and Fragrance (AFF) samples is connecting aroma information to chemical variables. Let’s explore a little more about what that means, and how LECO can help solve that analytical challenge.
Connecting the Dots
There are several reasons for choosing to test samples when it comes to the AFF industry. From quality control, to allergen identification, to all kinds of research, the analytes of interest may vary, but the best method for analysis remains the same: multidimensional gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GCxGC-TOFMS). While using this method, you’ll unearth loads of data that tell the entire chemical story of your sample. While this kind of data is ideal for non-target screening, it can be overwhelming to sort through when searching for something specific and present difficulties in identifying what analytes are of interest.
The following examples showcase two different types of analyses in which the main goal is to find the connection between aroma information and chemical variables. From there, we’ll explain the solutions that LECO offers for each example’s challenges. For further insights, explore the attached application notes.
Example 1 – Off-Aroma in a Water Sample
Imagine you are a company that packages and sells water in bottles. You realize that a batch of the water has a strange odor. In order to determine what could be causing an off-odor, analysis of the strange-smelling water and a control batch of water must be done to compare the two and identify chemical differences. That exact process was done with LECO instrumentation and tools and the results were recorded. You can see the steps and results of the analysis in our application note.
Example 2 – Comparing Aromatic Signatures of Various Beers
For this example, imagine you are a brewery that produces craft beers for purchase. It is important to do regular analytical testing on the beer for quality control purposes, but furthermore, this kind of testing would allow you to discover each beer’s unique aroma profile. With this information, you can learn how changing your fermentation process would affect the aroma profile of your beer. You could discover how each beer flavor differs, and by comparing the chemical profiles, you could see how to make them more similar or different. By knowing each beer’s aroma profile, you unlock a world of insights. But when you have several different beers to look at and compare, the task can be quite daunting unless you have software to help you focus in on what matters. To see how LECO performed the task of analyzing and comparing the aroma profiles of seven beers, read our application note.
Solutions
Now that you’ve seen a few examples where connecting aroma information to chemical variables would be important, let’s talk about what kind of solutions LECO offers to ensure you’re able to make those connections.
ChromaTOF Tile – Tile is a software tool that was created to efficiently compile and review raw GCxGC data to highlight differences between samples or sets of samples. This kind of software would be incredibly handy in our off-aroma water example, as it would quickly tell the user the chemical differences between the control water and the off-aroma water, significantly reducing the time spent looking for differences amongst the sea of data.
Sync 2D – Sync 2D is another innovative software tool created by LECO which can process multiple samples together and produce a single combined peak table for the sample set. Full sample characterization and compiled information allow for non-target data review to determine and understand analyte similarities, differences, and trends across the sample set. For our beer example, Sync 2D would allow for comparison of the aromatic signatures of the different beers and identification of the chemicals responsible for qualities of the beer that may be preferable or aversive.
To learn more about how GCxGC-TOFMS paired with advanced software tools makes for AFF analyses you can trust, register for our upcoming webinar with Givaudan!
