SPECIALLY COLLECTED PAPERS
Shimadzu Review 82[3・4] (2026)
Abstract
Odor perception arises from a wide range of volatile compounds, and identifying which compounds contribute to a particular aroma is challenging. Complex odors are typically evaluated using omission tests, which require identifying every component emitted from samples, preparing standard reagents for each component, and mixing hundreds of components, all of which are labor- and time-intensive. To address these limitations, Shimadzu Corporation and Iwate University have jointly developed the Aroma Designer, a novel aroma analysis system that can evaluate complex odors using omission tests without standard reagents. The Aroma Designer consists of a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer equipped with a switching unit connected to an FAS-2 aroma collection device. By transferring only target compounds to the MS and collecting the remaining volatiles into sampling bags connected to the FAS-2, omission samples can be prepared easily and rapidly from complex odors. This article describes using the Aroma Designer to analyze the complex aroma of lime essential oil using omission tests as well as a fraction exchange approach. Terpineols were successfully identified by the Aroma Designer as the primary odorants contributing to the characteristic lime aroma. The Aroma Designer system substantially reduces the time and labor involved in evaluating complex odors and has potential applications in fragrance development, food aroma analysis, and other areas of sensory science.
1MS Business Unit, Life Science Business Department, Analytical & Measuring Instruments Division, Shimadzu Corporation, Kyoto, Japan
2GC・TA Business unit, Analytical & Measuring Instruments Division ,Shimadzu Corporation, Kyoto, Japan
3Green Solution Unit, Solutions Center of Excellence, Analytical & Measuring Instruments Division, Shimadzu Corporation, Kyoto, Japan
4Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Iwate, Japan
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