Smell analysis - HERACLES Electronic Nose

Smell Analysis with the HERACLES Electronic Nose
Advanced Aroma & Odor Testing Solution

The HERACLES Electronic Nose from Alpha-MOS is a high-performance smell analysis instrument that delivers objective, reliable and reproducible aroma and odor measurement for food, beverage, fragrance, cosmetic, and chemical products. Combining flash gas chromatography technology with powerful data analysis software, HERACLES accurately profiles the chemical composition and sensory fingerprint of volatile compounds in your products.

What Is a HERACLES Electronic Nose?

HERACLES is a flash gas chromatography-based electronic nose designed to mimic human olfaction by rapidly analyzing volatile aroma compounds and generating comprehensive odor profiles. It supports both qualitative sensory analysis and quantitative chemical identification, making it ideal for research, quality assurance, R&D and regulatory applications.

Core Benefits for Smell Analysis

• Delivers objective and reproducible sensory data, reducing reliance on subjective human panels.
• Enhances product quality control and conformity across manufacturing sites and batches.
• Detects off-odors, defects and VOCs early to minimize waste and improve production efficiency.
• Speeds up release testing and supports product innovation with reliable aroma profiling.
• Standardizes sensory evaluation for global quality assurance

AlphaSoft,
Sensory Analysis Software

AlphaSoft software operates all Alpha MOS instruments:

• HERACLES electronic nose
• ASTREE electronic tongue
• IRIS electronic eye.

It allows to monitor instruments settings, define analysis methods and sequences, run analysis and perform data acquisition.

It also achieves the data processing of Alpha MOS instruments measurements, using different models based on the application:

• Qualitative models: comparison of several samples on overall odor/taste/visual aspect, samples classification based on a criterion, quality/conformity control, shelf life monitoring
• Quantitative models: prediction of measurable parameters such as a concentration or a sensory attribute intensity.

Data processing modules (statistics packages, AroChemBase) can also be used to compute data from other analytical instruments.

AlphaSoft anticipates maintenance needs and avoids losing time on lab activity.

Thanks to this unique software platform, it is possible to combine HERACLES, ASTREE and IRIS results to have an overall point of view of products sensory features.

AROCHEMBASE,
sensory characterization module

AroChemBase, a sensory characterization module with unique performance

AroChemBase software module is designed to help identify and characterize the chemical molecules detected when analyzing smell with HERACLES Neo electronic nose or any instrument based on gas chromatography technology.

Used in identification mode, AroChemBase module delivers a list of possible matching compounds sorted by relevance index based on their Kovats index. With information on the sensory attributes related to the chemical compounds and human detection thresholds, samples can be further evaluated on their organoleptics features.

In search mode, AroChemBase is also a large database of chemical compounds with related sensory notes that offers advanced search capabilities for smell analysis, and that can be further enriched with users’ measurement data. To complement the sensory evaluation, the database also includes information on taste attributes for some molecules.

This sensory analysis module is a unique tool for odour and aroma evaluation using gas chromatography:

• 188,000 chemical compounds with name, chemical formula, CAS number, retention indices on several chromatography columns
• About 4,000 molecules characterized by 600 odor notes
• Around 1820 molecules with human odor detection threshold
• Nearly 450 compounds characterized with 132 taste attributes.

Applications of AroChemBase sensory analysis module

Specifically designed to rapidly define a sensory profile and a chemical and sensory characterization, AroChemBase module is particularly recommended for applications that require more than an odour fingerptint analysis, such as:

• Qualification of the aromatic profile of a product and of sensory notes involved
• Characterization of the chemical composition of the smell thanks to gas chromatography technology
• Sensory benchmarking of competitive products or reference products
• Re-formulation of products or retro-engineering to optimize its aroma characteristics
• Off-odours investigation: identification of chemical compounds behind a defect producing a bad odour or a customer claim
• Identification of molecules responsible for a change of smell during product ageing.

Applications
of the electronic nose for smell analysis

Analysing the smell or aroma of a product is a very common application in industry and a very frequent need in sensory evaluation because the sensory profile and the sensory quality of products are key factors for their success among consumers. Thus, industrials frequently use olfactory analysis, either at the product development stage or at production quality control level. 

Make quality control easier with the electronic nose 

The consumer expects that his favourite products have a constant sensory quality. With objective and reliable measurements, the electronic nose helps to control the sensory profile of products all through the production line:

• Sensory conformity tests: aroma control, off-odour detection, odorous contaminant detection
• Consumer complaints investigation and identification of odorous defects subjected to a customer claim
• Influence of the manufacturing process on food flavoring
• Products aroma ageing follow-up, ingredients selection based on their shelf life and the stability of their sensory profile
• Food packaging testing: evaluation of the impact of food-contact materials on the organoleptic quality of food.

Smell analysis at the service of new product development

The sensory profile, and products aroma in particular, has a strong influence on consumers’ choice and preference. Thanks to its numerous applications, the electronic nose is a precious support tool for designing new products that meet consumers’ expectations:

• Recipe optimization to reach a target sensory profile
• Design of innovative product with a totally unique aroma
• Product re-design (retro-engineering) to change or improve its sensory features: new recipe, new aroma, new packaging
• Benchmarking of competitive products based on their sensory profile
• Change of manufacturing process or ingredients substitution (sugar-free, low carb, etc) and assessment of the impact on product aroma.