Andalucía To Develop Electronic Nose

The Andalucian government-sponsored internet science magazine, Andalucia Investiga, reports that the Pablo de Olavide University in Sevilla, with private financial assistance, has embarked upon a project to develop an all electronic olfactory system to be dedicated to the 'tasting' and classification of olive oils. The reasoning behind the development of this technology stems from the shortage of approved tasters and the consequent high cost of contracting them at the level of individual mills. Fundamental is the problem that a given taster should not, according to the I.O.O.C., inspect more than three oils per day and it is hoped that the successful completion of this initiative would improve the quality of olive oil produced throughout the region by making a reliable and relatively low cost taster available on demand at any press.