Analusis 28, 743-749 (2000)
DOI: 10.1051/analusis:2000145

Use of preconcentration techniques applied to a MS-based "Electronic Nose"

E. Schaller¹, S. Zenhäusern², T. Zesiger², J.O. Bosset¹ and F. Escher<sup>3

1</sup>  Federal Dairy Research Station, CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland
²  SMart Nose, CH-2074 Marin-Epagnier, Switzerland
³  Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Institute of Food Science, CH-8092 Züric

(Received June 6, 2000; revised October 24, 2000; accepted October 25, 2000.)

Abstract
Four Swiss Emmental cheeses from four different factories were analysed with an "electronic nose" based on a mass spectrometer detector, the SMart Nose . Three sampling methods, i.e. non-preconcentrated static headspace, Purge-and-Trap and solid phase microextraction (SPME), were compared in order to discriminate the cheese ripening ages. The use of a preconcentration technique was found to be helpful for this application due to the possibility to extract volatile compounds with higher molecular masses. From the two systems tested, the SPME was considered from far the best method because of its better repeatability, its simplicity and its compatibility with an autosampler.

Key words: MS -- electronic nose -- static headspace -- SPME -- Purge-and-Trap -- cheese.


© EDP Sciences, Wiley-VCH 2000