Increases of 2-furanmethanol and maltol in Korean red ginseng during explosive puffing process

The explosive puffing process may provide characteristic physicochemical properties in red ginseng. The effects of explosive puffing on the changes of volatiles in red ginseng were investigated using headspace-solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME)-gas chromatograph (GC) with a mass selective detector (MS). Formation of porous structures and smaller pieces were clearly observed on the surface of puffed red ginseng by scanning electron microscopy. Total volatiles in puffed red ginseng increased by 87% compared to those in red ginseng. Hexanal, Delta-selinene, and beta-panasinsene were major volatiles in red ginseng, whereas aristolene, beta-panasinsene, and calarene were main volatiles in puffed red ginseng. Puffing process decreased volatiles from lipid oxidation including aldehydes, ketones, and 2-pentylfuran and increased terpenoids in red ginseng. Selective ion monitoring (SIM) mode for GC/MS results showed that 2-furanmethanol and maltol were present at the concentrations of 0.20% and 0.24%, respectively, in red ginseng and 5.86% and 3.99%, respectively, in puffed red ginseng. The explosive puffing process increased 2-furanmethanol and maltol in puffed red ginseng significantly (P < 0.05) with the changes of microstructures.