Optimization of atmospheric pressure chemical ionization triple quadropole mass spectrometry (MS Nose 2) for the rapid measurement of aroma release in vivo

Abstract

The use of on‐line mass spectrometry to measure aroma release from model systems, or from people consuming food or beverages, delivers time‐based aroma release curves that relate better to sensory perception. The technique allows the rapid analysis of the headspace above foods as well as the measurement of the performance of flavour systems in manufactured foods during consumption. The data obtained can give quick insights into the potential success of a flavouring and on‐line mass spectrometry is widely used in the food and flavour industries. The speed of data acquisition, sensitivity to a wide range of chemical compounds, and resolution of compounds with the same nominal mass are recurring issues for on‐line analysis. Here, we present a study of the performance of an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) source connected to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. Fast data acquisition could be achieved with little loss of ion signal but with slightly increased noise. In ‘Multiple Reaction Monitoring’ mode, sensitivity increased appreciably for six out of the seven compounds tested, and changing the collision energy of the system produced different mass spectral patterns for six compounds with the same nominal mass. The application of some of these techniques to coffee analysis identified the challenges and approaches needed to provide an in‐depth analysis for real samples.

Dynamic Instrumental and Sensory Methods Used to Link Aroma Release and Aroma Perception: A Review

“…From the start, inter-individual differences in aroma-release kinetics, linked to oral physiology variability, were evidenced [80] and compound-dependent temporal release delays, linked to in-mouth enzymatic reactions, disclosed [69]. Optimized APCI sources have also been interfaced with ion-trap mass spectrometers [75,[83][84][85][86] or triple-quadrupoles [87], providing sensitivity, selectivity, and structural capability benefits of tandem MS (MS/MS). Instruments sensitivity is an important issue, as only a minor part of the food aroma components is actually able to reach the nasal cavity [3].…”

Development of a simple and low-cost prototype probe fully-compatible with atmospheric solids analysis probe for the analysis of human breath in real-time

“…1b and c) as a model for developing the APCI-based ionization probe. The probe was designed based on the fundamentals of the MS Nose APCI-based ionization sample introduction technique for the analysis of gaseous samples [27]. Our system has proven to be able to detect and identify compounds present in human breath that have been previously reported in the literature, as well as specific substances from foods in exhaled breath after food consumption.…”