Comparison of Three Extraction Techniques for the Determination of Volatile Flavor Components in Broccoli.

Martyna Natalia Wieczorek,Henryk Jeleń,Małgorzata Majcher

doi:10.3390/foods9040398

Martyna Natalia Wieczorek, Henryk Jeleń + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9040398

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Abstract

To analyze aroma active components in a food product, the crucial step is to select a suitable extraction technique. It should provide isolation of all components responsible for aroma creation, without the formation of any artifacts during the procedure. Preferably, the extraction method should yield analyzed compounds in detectable levels. The presented study aimed to compare three popular extraction techniques used in flavor studies: solid-phase microextraction (SPME), solvent-assisted flavor evaporation (SAFE), and simultaneous distillation extraction (SDE) in order to isolate aroma components from broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica). Obtained extracts were analyzed by gas chromatography-olfactmetry (GC-O) to determine compounds with aroma activity as well as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-ToFMS) to identify them. Thirty-four aroma active compounds were detected in broccoli by the applied techniques. SPME and SAFE together gave the full profile of aroma active components on chromatograms from GC-O, without artifacts that occurred in the SDE extract. SPME was particularly useful in the identification of early eluting compounds, while SAFE enabled isolating compounds with relatively low partition coefficients. Despite all the disadvantages of the SDE method, it leads to the identification of pyrazines, which were important contributors to the overall aroma.

Highlights

The crucial step in the determination of aroma active components in food products is the selection of suitable extraction techniques
Three different extraction techniques were compared in order to evaluate their suitability for the determination of aroma components in broccoli
Two of them were exhaustive techniques: solvent-assisted flavor evaporation (SAFE), simultaneous distillation extraction (SDE), and one non-exhaustive: solid-phase microextraction (SPME). Those were selected based on their popularity in research related to aroma active components in food products

Summary

Introduction

The crucial step in the determination of aroma active components in food products is the selection of suitable extraction techniques. In order to analyze the key odorants responsible for the aroma of broccoli, it is important to select the most suitable technique that allows isolating all compounds contributing to the characteristic aroma, without artifacts, and yet reflect the “real” aroma profile of broccoli. It should be an exhaustive method, as partition-based methods can favor selected compounds only. SAFE extraction allows for effective volatile isolation at low temperatures, avoiding potential flavor modification or artifacts formation [10]

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