USE OF DIGITAL AROMA TECHNOLOGY AND SPME CC-MS TO COMPARE VOLATILE COMPOUNDS PRODUCED BY BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM PROCESSED POULTRY

Digital aroma technology, solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME) and gas chromatographic mass spectral (GC-MS) analysis of the headspace volati le organic compounds were used to compare bacterial species important for food safety and common to biofilms in the poultry processing envir onment. The instrument for digital aroma technology, called the electr onic nose, measured changes in resistance of polymer sensors caused by volatile gases from the headspace of samples. Graphical output by the Sammon mapping technique produced patterns of differences or similari ties among the samples. Artificial neural network software was used to model groups of samples and classify subsequent unknowns. Compounds i solated from the headspace of sealed cultures using polydimethylsiloxa ne SPME fibres and identified by GC-MS analyses were predominantly alc ohols and indole. These qualitative profiles were repetitive for speci fic organisms in relation to purity and repeatability of the cultures, differed by species and were used as objective standards to compare t he graphical outputs of the electronic nose. (C) 1998 Society of Chemi cal Industry.