Application of electronic tongue for qualitative and quantitative analysis of complex liquid media

The present work is devoted to the assessment of analytical applications of a new instrument for multicomponent analysis in liquid media - "electronic tongue", based on an array of originally designed non-specific solution chemical sensors and pattern recognition tools for processing of multidimensional output of this sensor array. The "electronic tongue" is supposed to be capable to produce integral qualitative imaging (artificial sensing) of complex liquids such as food stuffs and beverages, comparable to human taste panel sensing and enhancing its capabilities by durable and reproducible operation analysis and tasting of toxic and potentially dangerous media, applicability to long-term routine industry analysis. The method is also successfully applicable to quantitative analysis of different objects such from biological liquids to natural waters. Promising experimental results of "electronic tongue" application in different beverages are reported. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.