What is SDA

The SDA workshop at GERSTEL was exceptionally designed and organized. I felt welcome before I even stepped foot into the facility. From the clear and informative handouts and slides to the hands-on approach to learning about scent and flavor, this workshop really went above and beyond my expectation. The team at Gerstel is knowledgeable about olfactory work and everyone was pleased to share Gerstel’s advances in instrumentation and technology – they were clearly excited by the science, not just there to sell me a product. I really liked the ability to work through the sequence of how I would analyze an off-odor in a product, and to be able to bring my own sample to prep and analyze by GC-O. If you are on the fence about attending, I persuade you to go (or to send your olfactory chemist). They will without a doubt learn something new about sample preparation and olfactory analysis. As an academic, I loved meeting scientists in various industries and learning about how olfactory work is aiding in food, product, and packaging design and stability. A five star workshop!

Coming into this workshop, I had minimal knowledge about the capabilities of my own nose and the optimal sample preparation techniques for sensory directed analysis. Throughout this three-day program, I learned how my sensory lexicon could be used as a tool for recognizing off-odors, differentiating similar products, and identifying aromas of compounds that a mass spectrometer cannot always detect. I gained hands-on experience with GERSTEL sample preparation techniques and learned which one was best geared towards my sample type. The instructors were extremely knowledgeable in all aspects of the workshop, spent individual time with each group member for personalized discussions, and were kind enough to treat us to fantastic lunches and dinners during and after the training courses. This was money well spent, and I look forward to incorporating everything I learned into solving complex sensory problems.

I had a great time and learned so much at Gerstel’s SDA workshop. As someone who does not have an extensive chemistry background but more experience on the sensory side, I found that the Nicoles and the rest of the Gerstel team made the technical parts of the workshop very approachable and the sensory aspects very engaging. The workshop laid the foundation for how to approach sensory based questions and understanding why certain analytical techniques would be helpful. At OVR we are looking forward to integrating the approach and techniques into scent field sampling as well as other areas of our product development.

My experience with GERSTEL SDA workshop has gone far beyond my expectations. The workshop gave the attendee a systematic framework to understand and apply the SDA principles. The instructor Nicole was great and very knowledgeable, the interaction and input from other people attending made the experience even richer. I enjoyed the workshop tremendously and I’m sure that the information and acquired skills learned in this workshop will greatly help me achieve my goals in work

Gerstel’s SDA workshop was great! Nicole, Nicole, and Megan are very knowledgeable, and they walk step by step through the SDA process. We used a real life example throughout the course, and went through all the steps to identify and confirm the off odor. There is a lot of practice to be able to identify aromas at the ODP, as well as using the ODI software. They maintain a fun, interactive atmosphere while learning, and they take time for industry or company specific questions you may have. They also treat you to great meals during the workshop!