Off-flavour Analysis in Food Using a Simple and Rapid Solid Phase Microextraction-GC/Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry Method with Dedicated Off-flavour Database

Flavour is one of the most critical sensory characteristic of food. Off-flavours not only negatively impact consumers’ acceptability but more importantly, may indicate safety risks. Various analytical techniques for the analysis of off-flavour in specific samples have been described.[1] For a generic method applicable to a wide range of samples, speed and ease of use are important criteria. Solid phase micro-extraction (SPME) is a sampling technique that matches these criteria. In SPME, the thin layer of polymeric stationary phase coating (fibre) can be directly exposed to the sample or positioned in the headspace. When sampling is performed in the headspace, there is flexibility in the physical nature of sample matrix analysed. This study describes a GC/TQMS method coupled to SPME for targeted identification and semi-quantitation of off-flavour compounds from food samples of different physical natures. Using the unique off-flavour analyser system (Shimadzu Corporation, Japan) containing a database of off-flavour compounds and optimised instrumental parameters, simple and rapid screening was possible.