Applications of GC-O and MS-Nose Technologies for Quality Control in Brewery Operations

The overall objective of this Phase II project is the development, optimization and evaluation of a prototype mass spectrometer based electronic nose instrument for rapid aroma quality monitoring in brewing operations. This current project will expand on the previous Phase I feasibility study which explored the concept of integrating GC-Olfactometry, multidimensional GC, MS batch inletting and multivariant analysis techniques for rapid aroma quality screening. While the Phase I efforts were focused on aromatic basmati rice as the example test case it is expected that an analogous approach can be successfully developed and adapted to the current focus of beer aroma and flavor analysis. Successful completion of the Phase II primary objectives should satisfy the basic requirements prior to initiating the projected Phase III commercialization project. In addition, success in meeting these Phase II objectives for beer production should facilitate the development of a wider range of analogous applications within the food, beverage and consumer products industries.