Sensory Directed Analysis: A Method for Identifying Key Sensory-Active Compounds

Aroma plays a pivotal role in our perception of the flavor of foods, beverages, fragrances, and other products. It is directly linked to product quality and overall consumer acceptance. Aroma profiling provides a fingerprint of aroma compounds in a given product to help understand the contribution of each compound to the overall aroma. However, instrumental-based methods of aroma profiling cannot provide information on which aroma compounds are sensory-active in the sample.

Sensory directed analysis provides the means to target sensory-active compounds by employing gas chromatographic separation with simultaneous olfactory and mass spectral detection. This webinar describes the use of two methods, aroma dilution analysis, a variation of aroma extract dilution analysis, and frequency detection in a sensory directed analysis approach to identify key sensory-active compounds in bourbon and perfume.