Flavor Analysis
Flavor Extraction Techniques
| Extraction Method | Purpose | Photo |
|---|---|---|
| Two Units of Purge and Trap/ Dynamic Headspace coupled with Gerstel Thermodesorption System (TDS) and Cooled Injection System (CIS) | Purge and trap is a dynamic headspace extraction method. Samples are purged with inert gas causing volatile and semi-volatile compounds from the sample to enter the vapor/headspace and become adsorbed onto a trap containing adsorption material. After extraction of flavor compounds using Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction or Purge and Trap, compounds are thermally desorbed using the Gerstel TDS and are then cryofixed and injected into a gas chromatograph using a Gerstel CIS. The Gerstel TDS and CIS allow for highly sensitive and accurate determination of volatile and semi-volatile flavor compounds. | 
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| Solid Phase Micro Extraction (SPME) | SPME is a solvent-free sample prep technology. SPME uses a fiber coated with a polymer sorbent for extracting the compounds from the sample by adsorption. It is then injected directly into the GC-MS for desorption and analysis. | 
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| Solvent Assisted Flavor Extraction (SAFE) | SAFE is considered one of the best overall methods for "clean" aroma extraction and is capable of extracting compounds from complex matrices. Volatile aroma compounds are isolated from an organic solvent extract under high pressure resulting in high recovery of aroma compounds from non-volatile compounds. |
Analytical Measurement of Flavor Compounds
| Analysis | Purpose | Photo |
|---|---|---|
| GC (Agilent Technologies 6890N) with Inert Mass Selective Detector (5975) | Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) is a technique that combines the separation capacity of gas chromatography with the sensitivity and selective capacity of the mass spectrometer. This combination allows analyzing and quantifying trace compounds such as fatty acid composition and precursors of off flavors in complex mixtures with a high degree of effectiveness. | 
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| Gas Chromatography (ALS ready G1530 A)-Olfactometry- Inert Mass Selective Detector (Agilent Technologies 5975) | GC is a common type of chromatography used in separating compounds that can be vaporized (gas). Volatile flavor compounds are carried by a carrier gas and separated through a polymer coated column. Analytes can then be analyzed using various types of detectors (FID and MS). Olfactometry allows for detection of odor active compounds. Analytes separated by GC can be split for detection (i.e., MS) and evaluation by sniffing at a sniff port to identify the compounds that are odor active and their odor intensity. Mass spectrometry is used for ion separation by their mass-to-charge ratio and to detect them qualitatively and quantitatively by their respective m/z and abundance. | 
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| Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC; Waters Quatro Premier XE) with Triple Quadrupole mass spectrometer | UPLC-MS/MS is used for separating non-volatile compounds using liquid chromatography followed by highly sensitive and selective tandem MS subsequently identifying them. | 
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