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Rapid Collection of Floral Fragrance Volatiles using a Headspace Volatile Collection Technique for GC-MS Thermal Desorption Sampling
Published on: December 10, 2019
Aroma-impact compounds in dried spice as a quality index using solid phase microextraction with olfactometry and
Bussayarat Maikhunthod1, Philip J Marriott
1Centre for Green Chemistry, School of Chemistry, Monash University, Wellington Rd, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
Food Chemistry
|September 3, 2013
Summary
Dried fennel seeds lose key aroma compounds over time, with monoterpenes indicating freshness and sesquiterpenes suggesting aging. This research develops a shelf quality index for spices.
Area of Science:
- Food Chemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
- Sensory Science
Background:
- Assessing spice shelf life is crucial for maintaining food quality and safety.
- Aroma compounds significantly influence consumer perception and product value.
- Fennel seeds (Foeniculum vulgare) were used as a model to study aroma degradation over extended storage.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify aroma-impact compounds in fennel seeds.
- To develop a shelf quality index based on aroma analysis.
- To compare the aroma profiles of fresh (6 months) and aged (5 years) fennel seeds.
Main Methods:
- Headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) for sample preparation.
- Gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) for aroma detection.
- Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC×GC-FID) for compound separation.
- GC-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOF MS) for compound identification.
Main Results:
- Major aroma compounds like limonene and 1,8-cineole decreased by 30-50% in aged seeds.
- Monoterpenes (e.g., β-pinene, β-myrcene) associated with freshness were only detected in younger seeds.
- Sesquiterpenes and sesquiterpene oxides increased with age, suggesting their potential as aging indicators.
- p-Anisaldehyde, contributing a sweet, creamy aroma, remained consistent in both aged and fresh samples.
Conclusions:
- Aroma quality of fennel seeds significantly degrades over a 5-year shelf life.
- Specific volatile compounds can serve as markers for spice aging and quality assessment.
- The developed methodology provides a basis for a quantitative shelf quality index for dried spices.
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