Non-Targeted Screening Approaches for Profiling of Volatile Organic Compounds Based on Gas Chromatography-Ion Mobility Spectroscopy (GC-IMS) and Machine Learning

Due to its high sensitivity and resolving power, gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) is a powerful technique for the separation and sensitive detection of volatile organic compounds. It is a robust and easy-to-handle technique, which has recently gained attention for non-targeted screening (NTS) approaches. In this article, the general working principles of GC-IMS are presented. Next, the workflow for NTS using GC-IMS is described, including data acquisition, data processing and model building, model interpretation and complementary data analysis. A detailed overview of recent studies for NTS using GC-IMS is included, including several examples which have demonstrated GC-IMS to be an effective technique for various classification and quantification tasks. Lastly, a comparison of targeted and non-targeted strategies using GC-IMS are provided, highlighting the potential of GC-IMS in combination with NTS.     

Study on the influences of ultrasound on the flavor profile of unsmoked bacon and its underlying metabolic mechanism by using HS-GC-IMS

For exploring the influence of ultrasound on the flavor characteristic of unsmoked bacon, sensory evaluation combined with E-nose and headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS) were performed to analyze the overall flavor profile and specific volatile flavor compounds (VFCs), respectively. Furthermore, the metabolic pathway of VFCs affected by ultrasound was also investigated. Results demonstrated that ultrasound improved the flavor characteristic of unsmoked bacon by raising the levels of nonanal, heptanal, octanal, 3-methylbutanal n-hexyl acetate and n-propyl acetate. Enzymatic oxidation was found to be an important metabolic pathway responsible for the development of flavor characteristic after ultrasound treatment, which could be attributed to the increased activities of lipases and lipoxygenase and the higher concentration of polyunsaturated free fatty acids. The increased level of lipid oxidation after ultrasound treatment was also confirmed by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances. Consequently, ultrasound is an effective approach to enhance the flavor characteristic of unsmoked bacon.     

Analysis of Volatile Compounds in Sea Bass (Lateolabrax japonicus) Resulting from Different Slaughter Methods Using Electronic-Nose (E-Nose) and Gas Chromatography-Ion Mobility Spectrometry

Sea bass (Lateolabrax japonicus) is known for its unique flavor and high nutritional value. In this study, the influence of slaughter methods on the volatile compounds (VOCs) in sea bass was investigated using electronic nose (E-nose) technology and gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS). VOCs in raw and cooked sea bass resulting from different slaughter methods were effectively distinguished using both techniques. Aldehydes, ketones, and alcohols were associated with the basic flavor of sea bass, whereas esters, organic acids, and furans enriched the aroma. In raw sea bass, the fishy odor was the strongest in the HSD group (head shot control death), followed by that in the IFD (ice faint to death) and BDS (bloodletting to death) groups. The VOC content increased and stabilized after steaming, enhancing pleasant odors such as fatty and fruity aromas. In cooked sea bass, the content of diacetyl and ethanol was the highest in the EAD group (eugenol anesthesia to death), which may be a residue of eugenol, imparting a distinct irritating chemical odor. Furthermore, abundant (E)-2-octenal, 2-heptanone, benzaldehyde, and esters in the BDS group imparted a strong, pleasant aroma. The findings indicate that heart puncture and bloodletting is the preferred slaughter method to maintain sea bass quality, providing new insights into the volatile changes in sea bass induced by different slaughter methods.     

基于气相离子迁移谱研究肺隐球病患者呼出气中特征挥发性有机物

该文采用气相色谱离子迁移谱(GC-IMS)对81例受试者呼出气样品进行了检测,包括临床确诊的20例肺隐球菌病患者,以及28例临床确诊的肺曲霉病患者和33例健康个体的对照样品,单个样品分析仅需10 min。结果显示,所有呼气样品中共检出19种挥发性有机物(VOCs)。通过主成分(PCA)分析发现,肺隐球病患者呼气中VOCs与健康对照组差异显著,但与肺曲霉病患者呼气中VOCs差异不显著。正交偏最小二乘判别模型(OPLS-DA)分析显示,与健康人群相比,肺隐球菌病患者呼气中特征VOCs为2-甲基-1-丙醛、异丙苯、2-戊酮、4-甲基-2-戊酮、丁醛和己醛;肺曲霉病患者的呼气特征VOCs为2-丁酮、2-戊酮、异丙苯、2-甲基-1-丙醛、4-甲基-2-戊酮和3-戊酮。此外,2种肺部感染患者呼气中特征性VOCs均包括2-甲基-1-丙醛、异丙苯、4-甲基-2-戊酮和2-戊酮,这表明丁醛和己醛在肺隐球菌病患者呼气中特异性略强,而2-丁酮和3-戊酮在肺曲霉病患者呼气中特异性更好。综上,采用GC-IMS可快速检出肺隐球病患者呼气中的VOCs,可用于后续数百例甚至数千例大样本分析,为更客观地评价呼气用于肺部真菌感染诊断的可行性提供必要的基础数据。     

Ultrasonic treatment maintains the flavor of the melon juice

Thermal treatment usually leads to the flavor deterioration of melon juice. This study was initiated to evaluate the retention effect of ultrasonic (US) and ultra-high pressure (UHP) on volatile components of melon juice by gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC–MS) and gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS). The electronic nose, electronic tongue, and GC-IMS analysis showed that US was much better way to contain the flavor of melon juice than UHP was does. The correlation coefficient between the US and the control was as high as 0.99. The concentration of characteristic aroma components in melon juice after ultrasonic treatment was 2.77 times and 3.02 times higher than that in the control and UHP, respectively. Moreover, the US treatment gave no significant difference in the total soluble solids, pH, and color of the juice. And it dramatically enhanced the flavor profile of melon juice.