4. Representativeness of extracts

An olfactory sensory evaluation of the extract, preliminary to its analysis by GC/O, must be carried out beforehand in order to verify the olfactory match between the extract and the initial product. The aim of the subsequent olfactometric evaluation is to describe and characterize the odor compounds of the extract and, by extension, of the analyzed product.

Assessing the odor representativeness of aromatic extracts is therefore an essential step that should not be overlooked. Representativeness tests are subject to a number of parameters, depending mainly on the extract's physical state (liquid or gaseous) and the health safety of the judges involved in the evaluation.