Off-Flavors
Off-flavors are rarely harmful to health unless caused by severe microbial contamination. However, they typically lead to customer rejection or complaints and can cause not only enormous economic losses for the producers but also damage the company's reputation.
If an off-flavor occurs, the cause must be identified as quickly as possible. The specialists at aromaLAB can help with this with their knowledge, many years of experience, and special sensory and instrumental procedures. If the off-flavor is not only detected as part of in-house quality control but also identified at the molecular level - that is, if the responsible components are known - its origin or formation can often be traced back.
Our approach to analyzing off-flavors follows a specific pattern. Before beginning the actual analysis, we conduct a brief sensory evaluation, which often provides our trained sensory experts with an initial indication of the problem. The actual identification is then carried out using gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) and, if necessary, additional GC-mass spectrometry. Once the off-flavor has been identified, we consult with the customer to determine at which point in production the problem arose and how it can be avoided in the future. Please feel free to contact us personally for more information!
