IDENTIFICATION OF BEVERAGES AND BEVERAGE STAINS BY GC MS USING AROMA COMPONENTS AS INDICATORS/

A method to identify brown coloured beverages or beverage stains for c riminological purposes was devised using aroma components as indicator s. The examined beverages comprised three brands each of beer, coffee, cola and black tea, two brands of oolong tea, and four brands of gree n tea. Aroma components in each sample were efficiently concentrated w ith a porous polymer beads column (Porapak Q) and were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) using n-octyl alcohol as the internal standard, Specific aroma components were found in each bever age and beverage stain, for example cis-terpin hydrate in cola, and th us identification of beverages or beverage stains became feasible thro ugh the detection of these specific components, The present method was applied efficiently to two practical criminological cases.