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When analyzing odorants in food or their raw materials, the formation of artifacts can significantly distort the results. In a new comparative study, two researchers from the Leibniz-Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich have shown that the injection method in gas chromatographic odorant analysis has a decisive influence on the formation of artifacts. On-column injection proved to be the gold standard, while solvent-free methods performed significantly worse.
Odorants are volatile compounds that contribute significantly to the sensory perception of food and therefore have a decisive influence on consumers' purchasing decisions. However, analyzing them is a challenging task. In science and research, gas chromatography-olfactometry has established itself as an indispensable method for identifying odor-active compounds and distinguishing them from the majority of odorless volatile substances.
In this method, researchers separate the individual volatile substances, previously isolated from the food as gently as possible, by using a gas chromatograph and sniff the effluent to determine which compounds smell and which do not.
Two sources of artifacts
In general, artifacts can arise during both the isolation and the analysis of volatile compounds. “The formation of artifacts during sample preparation has been well studied and can now be minimized to a large extent. Automated Solvent-Assisted Flavor Evaporation, in whose development our research group played a major role, has proven to be very effective,” explains principal investigator Martin Steinhaus: "However, the formation of artifacts during sample injection has been largely underestimated, partly due to the lack of meaningful comparative data.”
Julian Reinhardt, first author of the study, therefore examined ten different injection methods using 14 test compounds. As the doctoral student's research shows, high injection temperatures in particular led to odor-active artifacts and thus have the potential to significantly distort odorant analyses.
Gold standard on-column injection
“On-column injection proved to be particularly reliable because the sample is not exposed to high temperatures,” reports Martin Steinhaus, who heads the Food Metabolome Chemistry research group at the Leibniz Institute. “In contrast, splitless injection at high temperatures showed significant artifact formation, especially in combination with headspace solid-phase microextraction,” the food chemist continues. He recommends using on-column injection in all cases to obtain a reliable and representative odorant spectrum of a food.
Publication: Reinhardt, J. and Steinhaus, M. (2025). Injection artifacts in odorant analysis by gas chromatography. J Chromatogr A. 1741, 465624. 10.1016/j.chroma.2024.465624. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chroma.2024.465624
More information:
Odorant analysis 2.0 – optimized technology for the isolation of volatile food ingredients
A research team from the Leibniz-Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich has succeeded in automating a proven method for the gentle, artifact-avoiding isolation of volatile food ingredients. As the team's latest comparative study now shows, automated Solvent-Assisted Flavor Evaporation (aSAFE) offers significant advantages over the manual method. It achieves higher average yields and reduces the risk of contamination by non-volatile substances. https://www.leibniz-lsb.de/en/press-public-relations/translate-to-englisch-press...
Contacts:
Expert contact:
PD Dr. Martin Steinhaus
Head of the Food Metabolome Chemistry research group
Leibniz-Institute for Food Systems Biology
at the Technical University of Munich (Leibniz-LSB@TUM)
Lise-Meitner-Str. 34
85354 Freising
Phone: +49 8161 71-2991
Email: m.steinhaus.leibniz-lsb@tum.de
Press contact at Leibniz-LSB@TUM:
Dr. Gisela Olias
Knowledge Transfer, Press and Public Relations
Tel.: +49 8161 71-2980
E-Mail: g.olias.leibniz-lsb@tum.de
www.leibniz-lsb.de
Information about the Institute:
The Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich (Leibniz-LSB@TUM) comprises a new, unique research profile at the interface of Food Chemistry & Biology, Chemosensors & Technology, and Bioinformatics & Machine Learning. As this profile has grown far beyond the previous core discipline of classical food chemistry, the institute spearheads the development of a food systems biology. Its aim is to develop new approaches for the sustainable production of sufficient quantities of food whose biologically active effector molecule profiles are geared to health and nutritional needs, but also to the sensory preferences of consumers. To do so, the institute explores the complex networks of sensorically relevant effector molecules along the entire food production chain with a focus on making their effects systemically understandable and predictable in the long term.
The Leibniz-LSB@TUM is a member of the Leibniz Association, which connects 96 independent research institutions. Their orientation ranges from the natural sciences, engineering and environmental sciences through economics, spatial and social sciences to the humanities. Leibniz Institutes address issues of social, economic and ecological relevance.They conduct basic and applied research, including in the interdisciplinary Leibniz Research Alliances, maintain scientific infrastructure, and provide research-based services. The Leibniz Association identifies focus areas for knowledge transfer, particularly with the Leibniz research museums. It advises and informs policymakers, science, industry and the general public.
Leibniz institutions collaborate intensively with universities – including in the form of Leibniz ScienceCampi – as well as with industry and other partners at home and abroad. They are subject to a transparent, independent evaluation procedure. Because of their importance for the country as a whole, the Leibniz Association Institutes are funded jointly by Germany’s central and regional governments. The Leibniz Institutes employ around 21,300 people, including 12,200 researchers. The financial volume amounts to 2,2 billion euros.
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PD Dr. Martin Steinhaus
Head of the Food Metabolome Chemistry research group
Leibniz-Institute for Food Systems Biology
at the Technical University of Munich (Leibniz-LSB@TUM)
Lise-Meitner-Str. 34
85354 Freising
Phone: +49 8161 71-2991
Email: m.steinhaus.leibniz-lsb@tum.de
Reinhardt, J. and Steinhaus, M. (2025). Injection artifacts in odorant analysis by gas chromatography. J Chromatogr A. 1741, 465624. 10.1016/j.chroma.2024.465624. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chroma.2024.465624
https://www.leibniz-lsb.de/en/press-public-relations/translate-to-englisch-press... Read also: Odorant analysis 2.0 – optimized technology for the isolation of volatile food ingredients
Gas chromatography-olfactometry: identifying odor-active compounds using a gas chromatograph
PD Dr. Martin Steinhaus
PD Dr. Martin Steinhaus
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Gas chromatography-olfactometry: identifying odor-active compounds using a gas chromatograph
PD Dr. Martin Steinhaus
PD Dr. Martin Steinhaus
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