E-nose Analysis Research Articles

Characterization of the Flavor Precursors and Flavor Fingerprints in Grazing Lambs by Foodomics.

Tan sheep are greatly preferred by consumers in China because of their nutritional value and unique flavor. However, the meat quality of Tan sheep has decreased due to the change in feeding systems from grazing to indoor. Studies investigating the mechanisms for the decrease in meat quality are limited. A total of 28 Tan sheep were randomly allocated to two treatments, receiving a concentrated diet, or pasture. Flavor precursors and volatile compounds were analyzed with foodomics. E-nose and E-tongue analyses suggested that the aroma and taste profiles differed between the feeding systems. The grazing lambs had higher levels of linoleic acid and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (p < 0.01). Metabolomics indicated that 25 hydrophilic metabolites active in glycolipid and amino acid metabolisms were changed by the feeding system. Among the 57 volatile compounds identified, methional, γ-butyrolactone, benzaldehyde, and ethyl acetate were at concentrations significantly higher in the grazing lambs than the indoor-fed lambs (p < 0.01). These results reveal key changes in flavor precursors and flavor profiles affected by the feeding system, which may provide an initial view of the reason for consumer preference for the grazing Tan sheep.

Insight into aroma attributes change during the hot-air-drying process of white shrimp using GC-MS, E-Nose and sensory analysis

Aroma attributes are one of the most important criteria that affect the flavor quality of dried shrimp, but the dynamic changes of aroma attributes remain largely unknown during the drying process. The present study investigated aroma attributes change during the hot-air-drying process of shrimp using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), electronic nose (E-nose) and sensory analysis. The potential correlations among volatile compounds, sensory attributes and E-nose data were analyzed by partial-least-squares regression (PLSR). Results showed that the aroma characteristic of shrimps changed significantly during processing. The odor in the fresh shrimp was very light, and the key aroma compounds mainly consisted of trimethylamine and three aldehydes. The aroma characteristics mainly consisted of roasted and meat-like odors had come into being gradually with the decrease of water activity (Aw), and the aroma attributes were the most acceptable at about Aw 0.274 (hot-air drying for 7 h). Four kinds of aroma-active compounds (pyrazines, amines, aldehydes and heterocyclic compounds) made important contributions to the formation of aroma characteristics. The PLSR result showed a good correlation between most variables of volatile compounds, E-nose data and sensory attributes.

Effect of sterilization methods on the flavor of cold brew coffee

This research used ultra-fast E-nose, E-tongue and SCA analysis to explore the effects of different sterilization methods (pasteurization, back pressure sterilization, high temperature short-term sterilization, membrane filtration treatment and high pressure processing) on cold brew coffee. The results showed that non-heat sterilization can better maintain the sensory quality of coffee liquid. Back pressure sterilization could reduce the pH value of coffee liquid to 4.65, and decrease the aroma content significantly by 50.5% (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05), while the sourness and bitterness of coffee samples increased, which lowered the sensory quality of coffee. Among the heat sterilization treatments, high temperature short-term sterilization had relatively little effect on the sensory quality of the coffee beverage, and decreased the bitterness of the coffee. Taking sensory quality, nutrients and cost into consideration, it is suggested that high temperature short time sterilization is a prefered method. Thus, the results of this research provided a theoretical basis for the selection of sterilization method for cold brew coffee.

Metabolic Footprint Analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds by Gas Chromatography-Ion Mobility Spectrometry to Discriminate Mandarin Fish (Siniperca chuatsi) at Different Fermentation Stages.

Chinese fermented mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi) have unique aroma characteristics that are appreciated by local consumers. In this study, electronic nose (E-nose) and gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry analyses were combined to establish a volatile fingerprint of fermented mandarin fish during fermentation. Clear separation of the data allowed mandarin fish samples at different fermentation stages to be distinguishing using E-nose analysis. Forty-three volatile organic compounds were identified during fermentation. Additionally, partial least squares discrimination analysis was performed to screen for different VOC metabolites in the fermented mandarin fish; the levels of six VOCs changed significantly during fermentation (variable importance in projection >1; p < 0.05). Three VOCs, i.e., hexanal-D, nonanal, and limonene were identified as potential biomarkers for fermentation. This study provided a theoretical basis for flavor real-time monitoring and quality control of traditional mandarin fish fermentation.

Optimization of training and measurement protocol for eNose analysis of urine headspace aimed at prostate cancer diagnosis

More than one million new cases of prostate cancer (PCa) were reported worldwide in 2020, and a significant increase of PCa incidence up to 2040 is estimated. Despite potential treatability in early stages, PCa diagnosis is challenging because of late symptoms’ onset and limits of current screening procedures. It has been now accepted that cell transformation leads to release of volatile organic compounds in biologic fluids, including urine. Thus, several studies proposed the possibility to develop new diagnostic tools based on urine analysis. Among these, electronic noses (eNoses) represent one of the most promising devices, because of their potential to provide a non-invasive diagnosis. Here we describe the approach aimed at defining the experimental protocol for eNose application for PCa diagnosis. Our research investigates effects of sample preparation and analysis on eNose responses and repeatability. The dependence of eNose diagnostic performance on urine portion analysed, techniques involved for extracting urine volatiles and conditioning temperature were analysed. 192 subjects (132 PCa patients and 60 controls) were involved. The developed experimental protocol has resulted in accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of 83% (CI95% 77–89), 82% (CI95% 73–88) and 87% (CI95% 75–94), respectively. Our findings define eNoses as valuable diagnostic tool allowing rapid and non-invasive PCa diagnosis.

Preparation, evaluation, and pharmacokinetics in beagle dogs of a taste-masked flunixin meglumine orally disintegrating tablet prepared using hot-melt extrusion technology and D-optimal mixture design

Flunixin meglumine (FM) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug limited by irritation of the respiratory tract and mucosa in veterinary tissue. This study aimed to develop a taste-masked FM solid dispersion (SD) by hot-melt extrusion (HME) and formulate an orally disintegrating tablet (ODT) with selected excipients by direct compression. Eudragit® E PO was chosen as the matrix, and HME parameters were optimized: extrusion temperature, 135℃; screw speed, 100 rpm; and drug loading, 20%. Characterization techniques proved that FM was rendered amorphous in the HME extrudate. In vitro dissolution studies showed that FM SD released significantly slower than the corresponding physical mixture in artificial saliva. Excipients were selected based on compression formability, disintegration, and solubility. A D-optimal mixture design was used to optimize the composition: 25% FM SD, 18.75% microcrystalline cellulose, 52.5% mannitol, 3.75% low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, and 1% magnesium stearate. Taste-masked FM ODT had a tensile strength of 0.7 ± 0.01 MPa and a disintegration time of 17.6 ± 0.1 s. E-tongue and E-nose analysis showed that FM ODT had a better taste-masked effect than commercial granules. Finally, a pharmacokinetic study proved that the main pharmacokinetic parameters of FM ODT were not significantly different from those of commercial granules, which indicated that these formulations had similar pharmacokinetic behaviours in beagles.

Variation in aroma level of holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum L.) leaves is related to volatile composition, but not trichome characteristics

Holy basil or tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum L.) is an herb with a unique aroma in culinary uses. The aroma comes from volatile compounds in essential oils produced and stored in glandular trichomes. Different glandular trichome characteristics affect essential oil yield. Essential oil compositions and aroma levels vary among holy basil genotypes. However, relationships between aroma levels and trichome characteristics, as well as between aroma levels and essential oils, in holy basil have not been studied. Trichome characteristics, including types, diameter, volume and density, were not related to aroma levels of the five holy basil accessions studied in the present work. Eugenol, (E)-caryophyllene, and β-elemene were major constituents of the essential oils from leaves of most accessions, whereas methyl eugenol was found only in accessions with weak aroma. Based on the chemical compositions, accessions with low aroma level were clustered separately from those with higher levels. A similar result was also revealed by e-nose analysis. Our results demonstrate that major essential oil constituents appear to be responsible for the difference in aroma level between the holy basil accessions. Accessions with stronger holy basil aroma were rich in eugenol, while lacking in methyl eugenol, and could be distinguished from those with weaker aroma that were methyl eugenol-rich, but deficient in eugenol.

Analysis of flavor compounds in marinated chicken wings after irradiation and natural antioxidant (phytic acid and tea polyphenols) treatment

Abstract Marinated chicken wings is one of the popular marinated meat products in China. Here, electronic nose (e-nose) and solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) were used to detect volatile components of four different treatment marinated chicken wings (neither irradiated nor added phytic acid and tea polyphenols, A1; added phytic acid and tea polyphenols but no irradiated, A2; irradiated with 4 kGy irradiation but not added phytic acid and tea polyphenols, A3; irradiated with 4 kGy irradiation and added phytic acid and tea polyphenols, A4). Then odor activity value (OAV) and principal component analysis (PCA) were utilized to analyze their key flavor compounds. E-nose analysis found that antioxidant has a great impact on the odor of the marinated chicken wings, while the irradiation treatment has little effect on it. Besides, the irradiation treatment can reduce the unpleasant odor caused by antioxidants in certain. Through SPME-GC-MS, 101 volatile compounds were identified in four groups. After analysis, the antioxidants can inhibit the production of some volatile compounds, while irradiation treatment will relieve this phenomenon. This result is consistent with the e-nose. Following OAV, PCA analysis and sensory evaluation further verified the above conclusions.

Evaluating the Effect of a Brewery By-Product as Feed Supplementation on the Quality of Eggs by Means of a Human Panel and E-Tongue and E-Nose Analysis

The objective of our research was to evaluate the possible alteration of the organoleptic properties of eggs produced by hens (Lohmann Brown-Classic) fed with diets containing different doses of an industrial by-product enriched with organic zinc (Zincoppyeast, ZP): Control 0%, ZP 2.5%, and ZP 5.0%. Eggs were collected after 30 days (batch 1) and 60 days (batch 2) of feeding with the experimental diets and subjected to chemical, microbiological, human sensory, e-nose, and e-tongue analyses. There was no significant difference among the microbiological status of eggs of the three groups, but there were significant differences (p &lt; 0.05) in the fat (9.5% vs. 9.3%) and protein contents (12.7% vs. 13.4%) of the Control and ZP 5.0% groups, respectively. Human sensory analysis showed no clear change in the organoleptic characteristics of the eggs. Using linear discriminant analysis (LDA), the e-tongue could recognize the three groups of eggs in batch 1 and batch 2 with 95.9% and 100% accuracy and had a prediction accuracy of 64.8% and 56.2%, respectively. When the eggs were incubating at 50 °C or 80 °C before the e-nose analysis, the groups of eggs could be recognized with 98.0% and 82.7% accuracy, and predicted with 68.5% and 62.2% accuracy, respectively, using principal component analysis-based discriminant analysis (PCA–DA). The aroma compounds and respective sensory descriptors showing changes among the different groups of eggs (batch, storage, and feeding) were identified based on the e-nose analysis. The supplementation of laying hens’ feed with the investigated industrial by-product can be applied without any substantial effect on egg quality, which can, however, be detected with advanced analytical methods.

ENose analysis for early immunotherapy response monitoring in non-small cell lung cancer

ObjectivesExhaled breath analysis by electronic nose (eNose) has shown to be a potential predictive biomarker before start of anti-PD-1 therapy in patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). We hypothesized that the eNose could also be used as an early monitoring tool to identify responders more accurately at early stage of treatment when compared to baseline. In this proof-of-concept study we aimed to definitely discriminate responders from non-responders after six weeks of treatment. Materials and MethodsThis was a prospective observational study in patients with advanced NSCLC eligible for anti-PD-1 treatment. The efficacy of treatment was assessed by the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1 at 3-month follow-up. We analyzed SpiroNose exhaled breath data of 94 patients (training cohort n = 62, validation cohort n = 32). Data analysis involved signal processing and statistics based on Independent Samples T-tests and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) followed by Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis. ResultsIn the training cohort, a specificity of 73% was obtained at a 100% sensitivity level to identify objective responders. The Area Under the Curve (AUC) was 0.95 (CI: 0.89–1.00). In the validation cohort, these results were confirmed with an AUC of 0.97 (CI: 0.91–1.00). ConclusionExhaled breath analysis by eNose early during treatment allows for a highly accurate, non-invasive and low-cost identification of advanced NSCLC patients who benefit from anti-PD-1 therapy.

The electronic nose as a rule-out test for tuberculosis in an indigenous population.

IntroductionTo end the tuberculosis (TB) epidemic, efficient diagnostic tools are needed. In a previous calibration study, a portable ‘point of care’ electronic nose device (AeonoseTM) proved to be a promising tool in a hospital setting. We evaluated this technology to detect TB in an indigenous population in Paraguay.MethodsA total of 131 participants were enrolled. eNose results were compared with anamnesis, physical examinations, chest radiography and mycobacterial cultures in individuals with signs and symptoms compatible with TB. The eNose analysis was performed in two stages: first, the training with a combination of a previous study population plus 47 participants from the new cohort (total n = 153), and second, the ‘blind prediction’ of 84 participants.Results21% of all participants (n = 131) showed symptoms and/or chest radiography abnormalities suspicious of TB. No sputum samples resulted culture positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. Only one patient had a positive smell print analysis. In the training model, the specificity was 92% (95% confidence interval (CI): 85%‐96%) and the negative predictive value (NPV) was 95%. In the blind prediction model, the specificity and the NPV were 99% (95% CI: 93%‐99%) and 100%, respectively. Although the sensitivity and positive predictive value of the eNose could not be assessed in this cohort due to the small sample size, no active TB cases were found during a one year of follow‐up period.ConclusionThe eNose showed promising specificity and negative predictive value and might therefore be developed as a rule‐out test for TB in vulnerable populations.

Characterization of Basil Volatile Fraction and Study of Its Agronomic Variation by ASCA.

Basil is a plant known worldwide for its culinary and health attributes. It counts more than a hundred and fifty species and many more chemo-types due to its easy cross-breeds. Each species and each chemo-type have a typical aroma pattern and selecting the proper one is crucial for the food industry. Twelve basil varieties have been studied over three years (2018–2020), as have four different cuts. To characterize the aroma profile, nine typical basil flavour molecules have been selected using a gas chromatography–mass spectrometry coupled with an olfactometer (GC–MS/O). The concentrations of the nine selected molecules were measured by an ultra-fast CG e-nose and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied to detect possible differences among the samples. The PCA results highlighted differences between harvesting years, mainly for 2018, whereas no observable clusters were found concerning varieties and cuts, probably due to the combined effects of the investigated factors. For this reason, the ANOVA Simultaneous Component Analysis (ASCA) methodology was applied on a balanced a posteriori designed dataset. All the considered factors and interactions were statistically significant (p < 0.05) in explaining differences between the basil aroma profiles, with more relevant effects of variety and year.

Novel assisted/unassisted ultrasound treatment: Effect on respiration rate, ethylene production, enzymes activity, volatile composition, and odor of cherry tomato

Previous studies on the application of a novel multifrequency ultrasound washing treatment have proven to be effective in guaranteeing microbial safety, and enhancing the quality of cherry tomato. Nevertheless, there is still a need to evaluate the effect of these treatments on the metabolic activity, volatile profile, and sensorial quality of the fruit. This study evaluated the above parameters of cherry tomato treated with optimized assisted and un-assisted multifrequency ultrasound. The treatments slightly enhanced the enzyme activities and inhibit ethylene production and respiration rate. The results indicated that the treatment with 20/40 kHz and aqueous ozone (0.85 ± 0.2 mg/L) for 10 min enhanced and maintained the volatile compounds (VC). Out of the 44 identified VC, one had odor activity value > 1 and thereby considered as active aroma compound contributing significantly to the aroma of the sample. E-nose analysis indicated that alcohol, terpenes, and some aromatic compounds are the core indicators of the significant sensors. PCA showed that the processing methods had an influence on the flavor indexes of the tomatoes. The result verified that all the washing techniques did not result in a substantial negative effect on the tomato, and the treatment with ultrasound and ozone proved to be the best.

Effect of four types of thermal processing methods on the aroma profiles of acidity regulator-treated tilapia muscles using E-nose, HS-SPME-GC-MS, and HS-GC-IMS

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) significantly impact food aroma. In this work, Electron nose (E-nose), headspace solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS), and headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS) techniques were applied to analyze the effects of four types of thermal processing methods (microwaving, roasting, steaming, and boiling) on the aroma profiles of acidity regulator-treated tilapia muscles. E-nose analysis suggested the aroma differences could be detected by meatal oxide semiconductors of P30/2, P30/1, and PA/2. HS-SPME-GC-MS and HS-GC-IMS identified 43 VOCs (seven aldehydes, two ketones, five alcohols, one ester, twenty-two hydrocarbons, six other compounds) and 20 VOCs (four alcohols, nine aldehydes, six ketones, and one S-containing compound), respectively, in the raw and thermal processed tilapia muscles. Moreover, all these techniques demonstrated that thermal processing significantly and differently decreased the types of VOCs in the tilapia muscles. This work can provide useful knowledges for understanding the flavors of foods such as aquatic products and meats.

Improvement on storage stability of iron-fortified soybean powder by microencapsulation.

Full-fat soybean powder was a more difficult-to-fortify food vehicle than cereal flour and powdered milk products because of a large quantity of unsaturated fatty acids, particularly when iron was necessary to be fortified. Minimizing oxidation of lipids was extremely valuable in the fortified-food industry. However, very limited data were available on the effect of microencapsulation of iron compounds on lipid oxidation in full-fat soybean powder. In our study, ferric pyrophosphate (FP) was microencapsulated by the emulsifying-gelation technique and its effect on the storage stability of Yingyangbao (YYB) was evaluated. The results showed that microencapsulated FP (MFP) was regularly spherical and uniformly distributed. MFP could significantly (P <0.05) decreasethe sensory score of rancid odor for YYB. The formationof lipid oxidation products such as carbonyl compounds, malondialdehyde, pentanal, and hexanal in YYB during the accelerated test was significantly retarded, improving oxidative stability and delaying the sensory deterioration. The E-nose analysis showed that YYB with MFP hadsignificantly(P <0.05) lowerlevels ofresponsevalues on the specific sensors than YYB containing FP with or without ascorbyl palmitate. MFP could significantly(P <0.05) improve the sensory and oxidative stability of iron-fortified full-fat soybean powder such as YYB.

Analysis of the key aroma volatile compounds in rice bran during storage and processing via HS-SPME GC/MS

Rice bran is one of the most valuable nutritional byproducts of rice milling. It is known to have an unacceptable flavor to consumers, so the development of reliable analytical methods to determine its unpleasant volatile compounds should be developed. Comparative volatile profiling of rice bran at different times of accelerated storage was performed using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled to GC/MS, and the impact of stabilizing methods on the odor of rice bran was evaluated using E-nose, GC/MS and gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) analyses. Sixty-five volatile compounds were identified and classified into six groups. Among them, the relative concentration of aldehydes increased with storage time, and hexanal was the compound with the highest content. Similar behavior was exhibited by ketones and alcohols, which were connected with early oxidation of rice bran. The main characteristic odor compounds of rice bran were vanillin, 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol and 5-amino-2-methoxyphenol regarding ferulic acid. Through PCA, the volatile compounds of six kinds of rice bran were distinguished. The GC-O experiment verified that the processed products changed from the original grassy, oily flavor to vanilla, cheese, and caramel flavors. These results comprehensively elucidate the flavor characteristics of rice bran and provide important theoretical support for the development of rice bran products.

Quality assessment of large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) roe oil before and after refining.

This research aimed to assess the quality of the large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) roe oil before and after refining. The crude and refined L. crocea roe oils were compared based on their peroxide value (PV), acid value (AV), iodine value (IV), saponification value (SV), and fatty acid composition. Furthermore, the volatile compounds were identified and analyzed via gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) and electronic nose (E-nose) analysis. Meanwhile, the flavor fingerprint was established via headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS). The results showed that the PV, AV, IV, and SV of the refined oil were 4.44 ± 0.04 mmol kg−1, 2.86 ± 0.01 mgKOH g−1, 163.1 ± 0.8 g/100 g, and 222.9 ± 0.7 mg g−1, respectively. The docosahexaenoic acids (DHAs) content in the total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) was increased. Moreover, 55 volatile compounds were identified in the refined oil; among these compounds, the contents of carboxylic acids, aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, and esters were reasonably increased, while the hydrocarbon and heterocyclic compound contents were decreased. The flavor fingerprints of the crude and refined L. crocea roe oils were established by HS-GC-IMS. The results demonstrated that the refining improved the quality of L. crocea roe oil.

Analysis of Relative Scent Intensity, Volatile Compounds and Gene Expression in Freesia "Shiny Gold".

Scent is one of the most important economic traits in Freesia hybrida. “Shiny Gold”, a popular cultivar in South Korea, is widely cultivated for its scent. The relative scent intensity of “Shiny Gold” was approximately 16% higher in full-bloomed flower when compared to the yellow bud stage, while tissue-specifically, tepals showed higher intensity in electronic-nose (e-nose) analysis. E-nose analysis also showed that the scent intensity of “Shiny Gold” was higher and lower than “10C3-424” and “10C3-894”, respectively, and was similar to “Yvonne”. These results correlated to those of the olfactory tests. In total, 19 volatile compounds, including linalool, β-ocimene, D-limonene, trans-β-ionone were detected in gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis. Among these, linalool was the major volatile compound, accounting for 38.7% in “Shiny Gold”. Linalool synthase and TPS gene expression corresponded to the scent intensity of the four cultivars, with the lowest expression in the “10C3-424”. TPS 2, TPS 3, TPS 5, TPS 6 and TPS 8 were highly expressed in both bud and flower in “Shiny Gold”, while the expression of TPS 4 was lower, relative to other TPS genes in both the flowering stages. These results may aid in enhancing scent composition in Freesia cultivars using marker-assisted selection.

Characterization of the physicochemical changes and volatile compound fingerprinting during the chicken sugar-smoking process

Sugar-smoking contributes to improving flavor attributes of meat products. However, there is rather limited information concerning the relationship between sugar-smoking process parameters and volatile compound (VC) fingerprinting as well as related quality attributes of sugar-smoked chicken. In this work, the changes in VC across the whole sugar-smoking process were determined and analyzed and physicochemical properties, free fatty acid, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values, and E-nose were also performed to characterize the quality properties of sugar-smoked chicken breast (CB) and chicken skin (CS). Results suggested that a higher amount (P < 0.05) of total VC was observed in CS compared with CB during the whole processing, which may be correlated with higher thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values, and higher polyunsaturated fatty acid/saturated fatty acid ratio. According to E-nose analysis, the volatile flavor is clearly separated in the sugar-smoking stage. Volatile fingerprinting results revealed that heterocycles were the characteristic flavor formed during sugar-smoking process and hexanal, nonanal, furfural, 5-methyl-2-furancarboxaldehyde, and 2-acetyl-5-methylfuran were the major volatiles of the CS, which was closely related to lipid oxidation and caramelization reaction. Above all, the flavor of sugar-smoked chicken was mainly derived from CS and sugar-smoked process improved the flavor of CS. This study could provide theoretical guidance for regulation of the color and flavor of sugar-smoked chicken and further promote the development of the industry.

Detection of Ovarian Cancer through Exhaled Breath by Electronic Nose: A Prospective Study.

Background: Diagnostic methods for the early identification of ovarian cancer (OC) represent an unmet clinical need, as no reliable diagnostic tools are available. Here, we tested the feasibility of electronic nose (e-nose), composed of ten metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) sensors, as a diagnostic tool for OC detection. Methods: Women with suspected ovarian masses and healthy subjects had volatile organic compounds analysis of the exhaled breath using e-nose. Results: E-nose analysis was performed on breath samples collected from 251 women divided into three groups: 86 OC cases, 51 benign masses, and 114 controls. Data collected were analyzed by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and K-Nearest Neighbors’ algorithm (K-NN). A first 1-K-NN (cases vs. controls) model has been developed to discriminate between OC cases and controls; the model performance tested in the prediction gave 98% of sensitivity and 95% of specificity, when the strict class prediction was applied; a second 1-K-NN (cases vs. controls + benign) model was built by grouping the non-cancer groups (controls + benign), thus considering two classes, cases and controls + benign; the model performance in the prediction was of 89% for sensitivity and 86% for specificity when the strict class prediction was applied. Conclusions: Our preliminary results suggested the potential role of e-nose for the detection of OC. Further studies aiming to test the potential adoption of e-nose in the early diagnosis of OC are needed.