Application of electronic tongue for qualitative and quantitative analysisof complex liquid media

The present work is devoted to the assessment of analytical applications of a new instrument for multicomponent analysis in liquid media - "electronic tongue", based on an array of originally designed non-specific solution ch emical sensors and pattern recognition tools for processing of multidimensi onal output of this sensor array. The "electronic tongue" is supposed to be capable to produce integral qualitative imaging (artificial sensing) of co mplex liquids such as food stuffs and beverages, comparable to human taste panel sensing and enhancing its capabilities by durable and reproducible op eration analysis and tasting of toxic and potentially dangerous media, appl icability to long-term routine industry analysis. The method is also succes sfully applicable to quantitative analysis of different objects such from b iological liquids to natural waters. Promising experimental results of "ele ctronic tongue" application in different beverages are reported. (C) 2000 E lsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.