Tag Archives: aromas

AI can now differentiate between American and Scottish whisky aromas

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Enhance the capabilities of artificial intelligence. Experts utilized this method to anticipate the scents emanating from whiskey and distinguish whether it was produced in the United States or Scotland.

This study is a crucial advancement towards a computerized system that can forecast the intricate aromas of whiskey based on its molecular makeup. Traditionally, expert panels evaluate woody, smoky, buttery, or caramel hints to ensure consistency in scent across different batches of the same product.

“One of the key advantages of AI is its unwavering consistency,” noted Dr. Andreas Glaskampf, the lead researcher at the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging in Freising, Germany.

“While trained professionals may introduce subjectivity, AI complements human olfaction by offering efficiency and consistency,” he continued.

Detecting the aroma of whiskey poses a significant challenge due to the complex chemical blends that form the dominant notes in spirits. These chemicals interact in the nose, often masking each other to produce a distinct aroma profile, making it hard to predict a whiskey’s scent from its chemical composition.

In the recent research, scientists collected data on the chemical composition and aroma of 16 American and Scottish whiskies, such as Jack Daniel’s, Maker’s Mark, Laphroaig, and Talisker, from an expert panel. This data trained an AI algorithm to predict the five primary aromas and origins of a drink based on its molecular components.

One algorithm showed over 90% accuracy in distinguishing between American and Scottish whiskies, excelling in identifying each drink’s five dominant notes compared to individual human experts. Further details can be found here.

Compounds like menthol and citronellol aided in detecting American whiskey’s caramel-like aroma, while methyl decanoate and heptanoic acid were essential in identifying Scotch’s smoky or medicinal notes.

Beyond whiskey, researchers are exploring applications in various fields, from spotting counterfeit products based on scent variations to innovating the recycling process for plastics with less noticeable odors in new products.

Dr. William Peverer, a senior lecturer in chemistry at the University of Glasgow, believes this AI-based approach could offer more reliable consistency compared to human taste panels, ensuring a stable flavor profile batch after batch.

While this study focused on a limited number of whiskies, the performance of AI with larger datasets and its adaptation to evolving flavor notes as the spirit ages in barrels remain to be seen. External factors like consumption environment may also influence flavor perception, requiring further research according to Dr. Peverer.

Source: www.theguardian.com

The distinctive chemical makeup of adolescent perspiration includes hints of musk and urine aromas

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Body odor usually worsens around puberty

Carlos Barquero/Alamy

Teens appear to produce chemicals in their sweat that cause body odor, such as urine, musk, and sandalwood. Awareness of these chemicals may lead to more effective odor control measures, such as more effective deodorants.

Because the chemical compounds in sweat are volatile, they easily turn into gases that are perceived as odor. Hormonal changes that occur during puberty are associated with increased body odor.

helen ruth Researchers at Germany’s Friedrich-Alexander University studied how body odor changes from childhood to adolescence.

The team recruited 18 children up to the age of three and 18 adolescents between the ages of 14 and 18. They all washed themselves with unscented gel before bed and had cotton pads sewn to the sides of their clothes.

The researchers then extracted the compounds absorbed by the pads and identified them using a technique called mass spectrometry. They then used a process called gas chromatography and trained evaluators to detect the odorous chemicals. “The human nose is used as a detector,” Roos says.

Overall, the body odor-causing chemicals in the two groups were similar, but the chemicals collected from the teens contained higher levels of some carboxylic acids, and the judges described it as “cheap”, “musty” and “earthy”.

The researchers also identified two steroids unique to the teens’ samples, which smelled of “urine and musk” and “sandalwood and musk,” respectively. Chemical differences between teen body odor and toddler body odor may be why toddlers are generally considered to have more pleasant smells, the researchers write.

Ruth says further research into the scents we produce at different ages could help scientists develop more effective odor control measures.

but andreas natsch Swiss fragrance maker Givaudan notes that the study only assessed overnight body odor. “In adults, more pungent odors occur when they are under mental or physical stress,” he says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com