Can Electronic Nose Replace Human Nose?─An Investigation of E-Nose Sensor Responses to Volatile Compounds in Alcoholic Beverages

Abstract

Electronic nose (E-nose) technology is frequently attempted to simulate the human olfactory system to recognize complex odors. Metal oxide semiconductors (MOSs) are E-noses’ most popular sensor materials. However, these sensor responses to different scents were poorly understood. This study investigated the characteristic responses of sensors to volatile compounds in a MOS-based E-nose platform, using baijiu as an evaluation system. The results showed that the sensor array had distinctive responses for different volatile compounds, and the response intensities varied depending on the sensors and the volatile compounds. Some sensors had dose-response relationships in a specific concentration range. Among all the volatiles investigated in this study, fatty acid esters had the greatest contribution to the overall sensor response of baijiu. Different aroma types of Chinese baijiu and different brands of strong aroma-type baijiu were successfully classified using the E-nose. This study provided an understanding of detailed MOS sensor response with volatile compounds, which could be further applied to improve the E-nose technology and its practical application in food and beverages.