Electronic nose (E-nose)
Electronic nose
Japanese: 電子鼻
An analytical technology that quantifies aroma using multiple gas sensors. Mimicking human olfaction, it objectively evaluates aroma patterns.
An electronic nose detects volatile compounds with multiple gas sensors and quantifies aroma through pattern recognition. Just as the human nose recognizes aromas with about 400 olfactory receptors, electronic noses build aroma profiles from response patterns of sensors with different sensitivity characteristics.
While GC-MS precisely identifies individual components, electronic noses capture the overall 'aroma fingerprint' as a pattern. Applications include judging miso aging, detecting off-odors, and comparing products.
Advantages include short measurement time and no need for specialized analytical skills. Recently, combined with machine learning, determinations like 'this aroma pattern corresponds to X months of miso aging' are becoming possible.