Mass spec is indeed demonstrated multiple times

The video explains how the gas based mass spectrometers he had (indirect) access to don't normally pick up nonvolatile compounds like tannins. It was a big breakthrough that since he didn't have cocoa leaf extract, and he basically nailed everything else, he couldn't really understand what he was missing until he realised the extract would likely contain tannins.

So there may be other nonvolatile compounds which nevertheless impact the flavour profile. While a lot of flavour is in your nose, not all of it is...

Maybe he could have paired it with an hplc reading.

Coca leaf. Totally different plant. One is the source of chocolate, the other cocaine.

Yes, you're right. My mistake.

>The video explains how the gas based mass spectrometers he had (indirect) access to don't normally pick up nonvolatile compounds like tannins

I'm pretty sure other types of mass spectrometers can though, correct?

Taste buds can detect chemicals in as concentrations as low as a few parts per million, I dunno.

Someone once said the reason we had alcohol before civilization is that we carry around a chemical testing laboratory in our faces.

It just so happens that everything in beer that can go wrong and hurt you (any sooner than cancer) creates a distinct aftertaste and you can learn to avoid it rather easily.

The only exception of course is if you use poisonous ingredients in the first place.

or instdad of ethanol have brewed methanol.

That's much more of a danger when distilling, just brewing with yeast it's difficult to wind up in a situation with dangerous methanol.

He doesn't compare the mass spec of his final product to a real coke, unless I missed it.

You did miss it. It's quite close, but not identical. Wouldn't be surprised if different batches of coke have at least some variance anyway.

You missed it

This is wrong.

Same with perfume knock-offs

Spectrometer doesn’t tell you quantities, mixes, what have you.

You can emulate 90% of the first smell but never in life you can replicate entire bouquet, aftersmell, propriety molecules, etc.

Spectrography can absolutely tell you concentrations if you compare it to a test solution with a known concentration.

Have you ever seen that triangular chart comparing concentrations, impurities , etc? It's generally presented on log scales and very effectively demonstrates the often enormous number of trace-level compounds in otherwise substances deemed pure. It's the absolute pinnacle when it comes to teaching chem students about purity.

No doubt you're correct but it only takes one compound in trace amounts whose odor can be detected in parts per million to throw out a seemingly identical comparison done with spectroscopy.

Right, calibration is everything but sometimes that's damn hard to achieve. Also, here we're dealing with natural substances (at least some are like cola leaves). It's not hard to imagine there'd be thousands of organic molecules involved albeit most of them in minute amounts.