Asghar Amanpour

GC-MS-olfactometric characterization of the most aroma-active components in a representative aromatic extract from Iranian saffron (Crocus sativus L.).

Aroma and aroma-active compounds of Iranian saffron (Crocus sativus L.) were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactometry. The saffron aromatic extracts were obtained by four different extraction techniques including solvent-assisted flavour evaporation (SAFE), liquid-liquid extraction (LLE), solid phase extraction (SPE), and simultaneous distillation extraction (SDE) and compared to achieve a representative aromatic extract from saffron. According to sensory analysis, the aromatic extract obtained by SAFE was the most representative of saffron odour. A total of 28 aroma compounds were identified in saffron. Ketones were quantitatively the most dominant volatiles in saffron, followed by aldehydes and acids. Aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA) was used for the determination of aroma-active compounds of saffron. A total of nine aroma-active compounds were detected in the aromatic extract. On the basis of the flavour dilution (FD) factor, the most powerful aroma active compounds were safranal (FD = 512), 4-ketoisophorone (FD = 256) and dihydrooxophorone (FD = 128).

Characterization of aroma, aroma-active compounds and fatty acids profiles of cv. Nizip Yaglik oils as affected by three maturity periods of olives: Effects of olive ripening on aroma-active compounds of virgin olive oil

BACKGROUND The present study aimed to investigate how olive maturity indices (MI) (2.5, 3.5 and 4.5 MI) affect the aroma, aroma-active compounds, fatty acid profiles and color properties of cv. Nizip Yaglik olive oils. Various techniques for extracting volatiles from oil materials are available in the literature. Aroma compounds were extracted by the solvent-assisted flavor evaporation extraction method for the first time in olive oil. RESULTS The type and number of aroma-active compounds varied according to maturity periods of olives. A total of 22, 21 and 20 different key odorants were found in aromatic extracts of samples with 2.5, 3.5 and 4.5 MI, respectively. The most potent aroma-active compounds based on flavor dilution (FD) factor values were hexanal (green) for 2.5 MI (FD: 1024) and 3.5 MI (FD: 512), as well as 1-penten-3-ol (green-leafy) for 4.5 MI (FD: 512). CONCLUSION Overall, olive oils obtained from unripe and medium-ripe olives had stronger green and fruity odours compared to ripe olives. Principal component analysis demonstrated that oils were clearly discriminated according to their general physicochemical analysis, fatty acids, aroma profiles and key odorants. The results of the present study show that the olive maturity period has a significant influence on the quality parameters of olive oil.

Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry–Olfactometry To Control the Aroma Fingerprint of Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Three Tunisian Cultivars at Three Harvest Times

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactometry was used for the analysis of volatile compounds and key odorants of three less studied Tunisian olive oil cultivars for the first time. A total of 42 aroma compounds were identified and quantified in extra virgin olive oils. The present study revealed that the most dominant volatiles in olive oil samples qualitatively and quantitatively were aldehydes and alcohols, followed by terpenes and esters. Indeed, chemometric analysis has shown a correlation between chemical compounds and sensory properties. The determination of aroma-active compounds of olive oil samples was carried out using aroma extract dilution analysis. A total of 15 aroma-active compounds were detected in the aromatic extract of extra virgin olive oil, of which 14 were identified. On the basis of the flavor dilution (FD) factor, the most potent aromatic active compound was hexanal (FD = 512) in Fakhari olive oil, (FD = 256) in Touffehi oils, and (FD = 128) in Jemri olive oil.

Characterization of Aroma-Active Compounds in Seed Extract of Black Cumin (Nigella sativa L.) by Aroma Extract Dilution Analysis

Turkish Nigella sativa L. seed extracts were used to detect the aroma and key odorant compounds of the spice using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactometry (GC-MS-O). Volatile compounds were extracted by the purge and trap extraction (PTE) method. A total of 32 volatile compounds consisting of different chemical classes acids (13), alcohols (7), phenols (3), terpene (1), esters (2), ketones (2), aldehyde (1), lactone (1) and hydrocarbons (2) were determined. The amounts of volatile compounds were found to be 21,544 µg kg−1. The application of aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA) revealed the presence of 13 odor-active compounds alcohols (2), carboxylic acids (4), phenols (2), terpene (1), ketone (1), hydrocarbon (1) and unknown compounds (2) in Nigella sativa L. extract. Flavor dilution (FD) factors of key odorants ranged between 4 and 1024, while odor activity values (OAV) were in the range of 1.0 to 170.8. Acetoin was the only aroma-active ketone detected in Nigella sativa L. seed extracts. It had the strongest aroma (FD = 1024) and provided a buttery odor. This compound represented the most abundant compound of overall aroma profile with a concentration of 9394 µg kg−1, followed by isobutanoic acid (FD = 512 with a concentration of 218 µg kg−1) and contributed a powerful aroma and a cheesy characteristic odor.