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Ethan Pearce

Biography

I'm a PhD student working in the Wolfson Atmospheric Chemistry Laboratories (WACL) at the University of York. I am investigating online mass spectrometry to automate aroma analysis from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in food products. I completed my integrated Masters in Chemistry at the University of York; my final year project with Professor Brendan Keely involved the application of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry to organic geochemistry.

Qualifications

Masters in Chemistry.

Research interests

Analytical chemistry, including mass spectrometry and chromatography.

Project title

Rapid flavour profiling for sustainable food product development.

Supervisors

• Professor Alastair Lewis

Funding

BBSRC Industrial CASE CSV Studentship with Nestle and The Food Consortium CTP.

Project outline

This project will explore online and real-time mass spectrometry to automate flavour detection and accelerate more sustainable product testing and development. The flavours and aroma of food derive in part from human sensing of complex mixtures of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Flavour is critical for consumers yet is challenging to define quantitatively; small changes in the amounts and types of VOCs in a foodstuff can profoundly alter how it is perceived. Evaluating aroma chemistry is currently time-consuming and labour-intensive.

The project will involve the use of a selected-ion flow-tube mass spectrometer (SIFT-MS) manufactured by Syft Technologies, which can provide rapid profiling of VOCs in complex products. Chemical ionisation mass spectrometry will be combined with innovative data techniques, including machine learning, to provide new methods for reliable categorisation of products and other critical diagnostics such as consumer perception and impurity detection. The project will include the development of sampling and screening methods, the production of novel calibration systems for flavour-relevant VOCs, and data workflows that allow for close to real-time interpretation. The end goal for the industrial collaborator is to accelerate product testing and development and improve sustainability.