Flavoromics

Technical Specifications

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Item	Details
Platform	Comprehensive two-dimensional GC-TOF MS (GC×GC-TOF MS) for volatiles boiling at 50–260 °C at atmospheric pressure
Identification	ChromaTOF annotation with dual verification — standard spectral-library matching plus retention index (RI) calculated from C7–C30 n-alkanes — yielding Level 1 identifications
Quantification	Single-point semi-quantification with isotope internal standards; relative content from peak-area ratios (μg/g solids, μg/mL liquids) with normalization
ROAV Odor Activity	ROAV calculated from odor thresholds and relative content to identify the compounds that truly drive flavor — not merely the most abundant ones
Sensory-Flavor Mapping	Sensory flavor notes annotated via the Flavordb database, translating "compound differences" into "flavor differences"

Analysis Content

ANALYSIS MODULES

Module	Analysis Content
Data Pre-analysis	1D / 2D / 3D total ion chromatograms (TIC) · annotation and identification counts · intergroup Venn diagrams · relative-content analysis · odor thresholds and ROAV analysis
Basic Analysis	Compound-class annotation (hydrocarbons/aldehydes/esters/acids/ketones/alcohols/ethers/phenols/heterocycles; PubChem + ClassyFire) · HMDB classification · KEGG annotation and functional classification · PCA / PLS-DA / OPLS-DA (permutation tests, S-plots, VIP) · cluster heatmaps and sample hierarchical clustering
Differential Analysis	Differential compound screening (P < 0.05 and VIP > 1) · Venn diagrams · heatmaps and correlation heatmaps · K-means clustering · Z-score plots · volcano plots · bar / box / violin plots
Sensory Analysis	Sensory-note radar charts (frequency / content) · ROAV scatter plots of differential flavor compounds · sensory-note–compound association networks · flavor-note Sankey diagrams · flavor wheels of differential compounds
Advanced Analysis	KEGG pathway enrichment (bar / bubble plots, pathway networks, differential enrichment scores) · machine-learning biomarker screening (random-forest feature importance)

Example Results

SELECTED FIGURES FROM ACTUAL REPORTS

3D Total Ion Chromatogram

3D TIC panorama from GC×GC-TOF MS, visualizing the peak capacity and separation power of the comprehensive 2D platform.

ROAV Scatter Plot

ROAV from odor thresholds and relative content, pinpointing the key volatiles that truly drive flavor.

Differential Compound Cluster Heatmap

Cluster heatmap of the top-50 differential compounds, making intergroup content-pattern differences immediately visible.

Sensory-Note Radar Chart

Radar chart of intergroup content differences for the top-10 sensory notes, directly showing flavor-profile shifts.

Sensory-Note–Compound Network

Association network of sensory notes and differential flavor compounds — translating compound differences into flavor differences.

Flavor Wheel of Differential Compounds

Flavor wheel of the top-10 sensory notes and their corresponding differential compounds; inner and outer rings map notes to compounds.

Multi-Model ROC Curves

ROC curves of multiple machine-learning models built on flavor markers, assessing marker discriminative power.

Applications

APPLICATIONS

Food Flavor Quality AnalysisProcessing Effects on FlavorOrigin & Variety AuthenticationFlavor Marker DiscoveryNew-Product R&D Support

FAQ

How long does a Flavoromics project take?

Mature targeted panels typically take 1-3 weeks; untargeted projects take 2-4 weeks (counted from sample receipt and QC approval). The exact timeline is confirmed in writing before project start, and progress is trackable on the OmicsHub cloud platform.

What if my sample amount is below the recommendation?

Please do not dilute your samples. Low-input samples can often be accommodated by adjusting the preparation workflow — tell us the actual amount and our technical team will assess feasibility and note adjustments in the study plan.

Can I add targets to an existing panel?

Yes. Mature panels support on-demand additions; novel analytes outside the list can be implemented through custom method development (requires standards and extra validation time) — see our Custom Targeted Metabolomics service.

What samples do you need for Flavoromics?

Serum/plasma ≥100 μL (fasting, no haemolysis), tissue ≥50 mg (snap-frozen), cells ≥1×10⁶ (medium washed off), urine ≥200 μL. Keep fasting time consistent, aliquot into single-use volumes and avoid freeze–thaw. Full guidance: Technical Resources → Sample Guide.