A cybernose for wine
Australian scientists are aiming to build an electronic nose that can objectively measure the aroma and flavour of grapes and wine. The Cybernose will involve using the highly sensitive sensor proteins from insects and nematode worms to develop an instrument that can be trained to match desirable aroma and flavour properties as defined by winemakers or even consumers. Dr Stephen Trowell is the theme leader of the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation’s Food Futures Flagship programme. He told ThirtyFifty that, ‘This should allow Australian winemakers more reliably to produce wine with the aroma and flavour that people like.’ The aim is for the tool to be in wineries around Australia by 2013 where, as Dr Trowell puts it, it will hopefully be, ‘a more reliable measure than chewing some grapes.’