Correlating odorant structures with chemosensor responses via the SOMMSA-approach - A useful concept to develop more selective chemosensor arrays for food flavour measurements

Straight chain chemical compounds, such as alcohols, aldehydes, ketones or esters are known constituents of the volatile fractions of many foods. However, whether such compounds really contribute to a certain food flavour or off-flavour, respectively, very much depends on their concentrations and odour thresholds in air. Chemosensor arrays are proposed as detection systems for food flavour control. These equipments are, however, used at present, to measure the bulk of predominant food volatiles, but not consequently the aroma compounds. The purpose of our work was, therefore, to elaborate knowledge on responses of sensor surfaces to chemicals of their functional groups, respectively, in order to find out sensor materials and operating conditions for the development of more selective chemosensor arrays. As the key tool for these measurements the SOMMSA method, recently developed by the authors, was used.