Fermentation monitoring using multisensor systems: feasibility study of the electronic tongue

Abstract

The electronic tongue based on an array of 30 non-specific potentiometric chemical sensors has been applied to qualitative and quantitative monitoring of a batch fermentation process of starting culture for light cheese production. Process control charts were built by using PLS regression and data from fermentations run under "normal" operating conditions. Control charts allow discrimination of samples from fermentation batches run under "abnormal" operating conditions from "normal" ones at as early as 30-50% of fully evolved fermentations. The capability of the electronic tongue to quantify concentrations of important organic acids (citric, lactic and orotic) in the present type of fermentation media was demonstrated. Average prediction errors were assessed in the range 5-13% based on test set validation. Correlation between peptide profiles determined using HPLC and the electronic tongue output was also established. The electronic tongue was demonstrated to be a promising tool for fermentation process monitoring and quantitative analysis of growth media.

State of the Art in the Field of Electronic and Bioelectronic Tongues – Towards the Analysis of Wines

“…Similar systems were used for analysis of mineral water, wine [17,18], polluted water [19] and inorganic ions in a model ground water [20]. Another modification of this system was proposed for monitoring of bacterial [21] and mold fermentations [22]. The quantifications of tastes provided discrimination between bitter-sweet-salty substances, discrimination between substances eliciting the same taste, quantity and content in pharmaceutical products [23].…”

Real time phase detection based online monitoring of batch fermentation processes

“…The proposed SP detection technique can in principle be used in conjunction with online data collected via a variety of sensors [26][27][28][29]. These sensors may range from simple probes such as those for pH, dissolved oxygen concentration, and optical density to complex probes which can acquire near infrared (NIR) or fluorescence spectroscopy based measurements [30,31].…”

On-line monitoring of food fermentation processes using electronic noses and electronic tongues: A review

“…Since the above commented study, some other works on the application of etongues to the monitoring of the production of other foodstuffs [30,31] as well as alcoholic beverages production processes such as winemaking [23] and brewing process [32] An e-tongue based on 30 non-specific potentiometric sensors was applied to the monitoring of a batch fermentation process of starting culture for cheese production [31]. PLS control charts allowed detection of fermentations running under 'normal' and 'abnormal' operating conditions at an early stage.…”