PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

An electronic tongue can identify brands of beer

2014-01-30
(Press-News.org) Contact information: SINC Agency
info@agenciasinc.es
34-914-251-820
FECYT - Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology
An electronic tongue can identify brands of beer

Spanish researchers have managed to distinguish between different varieties of beer using an electronic tongue. The discovery, published in the journal 'Food Chemistry', is accurate in almost 82% of cases.

Beer is the oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic drink in the world. Now, scientists at the Autonomous University of Barcelona have led a study which analysed several brands of beer by applying a new concept in analysis systems, known as an electronic tongue, the idea for which is based on the human sense of taste.

As Manel del Valle, the main author of the study, explains to SINC: "The concept of the electronic tongue consists in using a generic array of sensors, in other words with generic response to the various chemical compounds involved, which generate a varied spectrum of information with advanced tools for processing, pattern recognition and even artificial neural networks."

In this case, the array of sensors was formed of 21 ion-selective electrodes, including some with response to cations (ammonium, sodium), others with response to anions (nitrate, chloride, etc.), as well as electrodes with generic (unspecified) response to the varieties considered.

The authors recorded the multidimensional response generated by the array of sensors and how this was influenced by the type of beer considered. An initial analysis enabled them to change coordinates to view the grouping better, although it was not effective for classifying the beers.

"Using more powerful tools – supervised learning – and linear discriminant analysis did enable us to distinguish between the main categories of beer we studied: Schwarzbier, lager, double malt, Pilsen, Alsatian and low-alcohol," Del Valle continues, "and with a success rate of 81.9%."

Furthermore, it is worth noting that varieties of beers that the tongue is not trained to recognise, such as beer/soft drink mixes or foreign makes, were not identified (discrepant samples), which, according to the experts, validates the system as it does not recognise brands for which it was not trained.

Robots with the sense of taste

In view of the ordering of the varieties, which followed their declared alcohol content, the scientists estimated this content with a numerical model developed with an artificial neural network.

"This application could be considered a sensor by software, as the ethanol present does not respond directly to the sensors used, which only respond to the ions present in the solution," outlines the researcher.

The study concludes that these tools could one day give robots a sense of taste, and even supplant panels of tasters in the food industry to improve the quality and reliability of products for consumption.



INFORMATION:

Reference:

Xavier Cetó, Manuel Gutiérrez-Capitán, Daniel Calvo, Manel del Valle. "Beer classification by means of a potentiometric electronic tongue". Food Chemistry

Contact:

Manel del Valle
Departamento de Química - Unidad de Química Analítica
Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona
Tel.: +34 93 581 3235 - Email: manel.delvalle@uab.es



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Scientists discover that thyroid cancer cells become less aggressive in outer space

2014-01-30
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 30-Jan-2014 [ | E-mail ] var addthis_pub="eurekalert"; var addthis_options = "favorites, delicious, digg, facebook, twitter, google, newsvine, reddit, slashdot, stumbleupon, buzz, more" Share Contact: Cody Mooneyhan cmooneyhan@faseb.org 301-634-7104 Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Scientists discover that thyroid cancer cells become less aggressive in outer space New research in The FASEB Journal suggests that thyroid cancer cells that are aggressive on earth experience a redifferentiation to less aggressive ...

At last: Mysterious ocean circles in the Baltic Ocean explained

2014-01-30
Are they bomb craters from World War II? Are they landing marks for aliens? Since the first images of the mysterious ocean circles off the Baltic coast of Denmark were taken in 2008, people have tried to find ...

Integration brings quantum computer a step closer

2014-01-30
An international research group led by the University of Bristol has made an important advance towards a quantum computer by shrinking down key components and integrating them onto a silicon microchip. ...

First report of management of pediatric trauma in England and Wales

2014-01-30
The first national report on the nature ...

A protein-production tale of the tape

2014-01-30
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (January 29, 2014) – In higher animals, an embryo's protein production immediately after fertilization relies on messenger RNAs (mRNAs) ...

Antibiotic 'smart bomb' can target specific strains of bacteria

2014-01-30
Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a de facto antibiotic "smart bomb" that can identify specific strains of bacteria and sever their DNA, eliminating the infection. ...

'Attention on the flight deck': What doctors can learn from pilots about communication

2014-01-30
INDIANAPOLIS -- As computers become common in medical examination rooms across the United States, a new study explores the role this technology plays in the doctor-patient relationship. ...

NAS report: Make childbirth safer in Indonesia

2014-01-30
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Indonesia is a fast-rising economic power that has made significant progress toward key development goals including reducing child mortality. But for reasons outlined in a National ...

Parkinson gene: Nerve growth factor halts mitochondrial degeneration

2014-01-30
This news release is available in German. Neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's disease ...

Campus police officers' role in sex assault cases

2014-01-30
HUNTSVILLE, TX (1/30/14) -- With high rates of sexual assault at colleges and universities, campus law enforcement officers are important facets of a campus' response to this crime. The Crime Victims' Institute at ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Computer hardware advance solves complex optimization problems

SOX2: a key player in prostate cancer progression and treatment resistance

Unlocking the potential of the non-coding genome for precision medicine

Chitinase-3-like protein 1: a novel biomarker for liver disease diagnosis and management

The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Ahead-of-Print Tip Sheet: August 22, 2025

Charisma Virtual Social Coaching named a finalist for Global Innovation Award

From the atmosphere to the abyss: Iron's role in Earth's climate history

US oil and gas air pollution causes unequal health impacts

Scientists reveal how microbes collaborate to consume potent greenhouse gas

UMass Amherst kinesiologist receives $2 million ‘outstanding researcher’ award from NIH

Wildfire peer review report for land Brandenburg, Germany, is now online

Wired by nature: Precision molecules for tomorrow's electronics

New study finds hidden body fat is linked to faster heart ageing

How a gift card could help speed up Alzheimer’s clinical research

Depression and anxiety symptoms in adults displaced by natural disasters

Cardiovascular health at the intersection of race and gender in Medicare fee for service

World’s first observation of the transverse Thomson effect

Powerful nodes for quantum networks

Mapping fat: How microfluidics and mass spectrometry reveal lipid landscapes in tiny worms

ATOX1 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma carcinogenesis via activation of the c-Myb/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

Colibactin-producing E. coli linked to higher colorectal cancer risk in FAP patients

Animal protein not linked to higher mortality risk, study finds

Satellite insights into eutrophication trends on the Qinghai–Tibet plateau

Researchers develop an innovative method for large-scale analysis of metabolites in biological samples

Asteroid Bennu is a time capsule of materials bearing witness to its origin and transformation over billions of years

New AI model can help extend life and increase safety of electric vehicle batteries

Wildfires can raise local death rate by 67%, shows study on 2023 Hawaiʻi fires

Yogurt and hot spring bathing show a promising combination for gut health

Study explains how lymphoma rewires human genome

New Durham University study counters idea that Jupiter’s mysterious core was formed by a giant impact

[Press-News.org] An electronic tongue can identify brands of beer