Characterization of aroma-active compounds in delicious apples juices by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) and odor activity value (OAV)

Abstract

Volatile aroma compounds of delicious apple juice in three cultivars were obtained by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O), and GC-flame photometric detection (FPD). Quantitatively, the major volatiles of the delicious apple juice were detected by GC-MS, such as esters, alcohols, aldehydes. In addition, GC-O and OAV were used to determine the aroma-active compounds in fruit. Amongst these compounds, ethyl 2-methylbutanoate (47-229), butyl 2-methylbutanoate (8-208), (E)-2-hexenal (25-120), butyl propanoate (14-54), methyl 2-methylbutanoate (28-41), ethyl hexanoate (4-32), ethyl butanoate (5-17) showed high OAVs in three delicious apple juices, which contributed greatly to the aroma of delicious apple juice. Beside those compounds, methanethiol (OAV: 1.1-1.6), dimethyl sulfide (OAV: 2.5-3.6), methional (OAV: 4.2-11.7) and 2-(methylthio)ethanol (OAV: 1.2-1.9) also presented relatively high OAVs. Finally, four compounds (ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, ethyl octanoate, ethyl butanoate and ethyl hexanoate) were selected to investigate the possible interactions occurring in the delicious apple juice. The resultants demonstrated that those aroma volatile compounds can decrease threshold of the solution to dissimilar degrees before and after their addition.