Combining the power of direct analysis using selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) with static headspace (HS) analysis, diverse odor compounds – such as short-chain organic acids, aldehydes and reduced sulfur compounds – are detected and quantified rapidly and economically. Processing the instrumental data using multivariate statistics enables a sample’s odor rating to be determined. HS-SIFT-MS, with a throughput of 12 samples per hour, provides significantly enhanced throughput over gas chromatography-olfactometry and sensory panels.