A Data Base Management System for Flavor Threshold Information and an Evaluation of Strategies for Identifying New Flavor-Active Substances in Beer¹

1 Presented at the 53rd Annual Meeting, Cincinnati, OH, June 1987.

Abstract

The Nutshell Information Manager program was used to set up a system containing information on the flavor thresholds and concentrations of compounds known to occur in beer. The data compiled by MeiIgaard for 864 substances were entered into the system. Alterations and additions can easily be made, and an updated list can be printed when needed. It is possible to readily find information based on either chemical or sensory criteria and to sort either the entire data base or selected items in various ways. A study of the threshold and concentration information contained in the flavor data base was made. The current state of knowledge and gaps in it are discussed. This information was used to estimate the likely success rates of a number of strategies to discover new flavor-active substances in beer and to search for new flavor-staling compounds.

• Carbon number
• Concentrations
• Flavor units
• Nutshell
• Staling