Question

Which of the following device is used to detect odours/flavors in food?

• A. HPLC-MS
• B. Flavouro-scope
• C. GC-Olfactometer
• D. Ion chromatograph

Hint:

GC-O is a vital tool in food flavor research because it bridges the gap between instrumental analysis (which measures chemical quantity) and human sensory perception (which determines odor relevance).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Flavour profiling requires identifying specific volatile aroma compounds that contribute to the sensory perception of food.
This involves coupling high-resolution chemical separation instruments with biological sensory detectors.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
A Gas Chromatography-Olfactometer (GC-O) is a specialized analytical system used to detect and characterize odoractive compounds in complex food matrices.
The system works as follows:
- The volatile aroma mixture is separated into individual chemical components inside the Gas Chromatography column.
- As the separated compounds exit the column, the effluent is split. One part goes to a chemical detector (such as a Flame Ionization Detector or Mass Spectrometer), while the other part is directed to a sniffing port.
- A trained human panelist sniffs the effluent at the sniffing port, recording the onset, duration, and sensory description of each odor active compound.
HPLC-MS and ion chromatographs are generally used for non-volatile soluble chemicals and ions.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The device used to detect food odors is the GC-Olfactometer, which corresponds to option (C).