Comparison of e-Noses: the case study of honey

Abstract

Authentication is a major research theme in food analysis. Electronic noses (e-Noses) represent an effective tool for food authentication and - among others - for the determination of food origin. In this work we compare the performance of two e-Noses (metal-oxide-sensor based vs mass-spectrometry based) in the determination of geographic origin of honey. We analyzed 14 honey samples from South Tyrol, an Italian alpine region, which were compared with other 12 commercial samples from diverse European origins. Both e-Noses afforded 85% of correct identifications. Mass spectrometry provided a deep analytical insight, thanks to the possibility to determine mass peaks with good accuracy.