Identification of volatile compounds in cured Mexican vanilla (Vanilla planifoliaG. Jackson) beans using headspace solid-phase microextraction with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Abstract

Introduction. Headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS–SPME–GC/MS) was applied to identify volatile compounds in cured vanilla (Vanilla planifolia G. Jackson) beans originating from the state of Veracruz, Mexico. Materials and methods. A 6 kg batch from the 2012 production year was used in the study. Carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane (85 μm) fibre was selected because it had shown a high capacity to extract detected volatiles. Results and discussion. A total of 81 volatile compounds were detected, of which 77 were identified by comparing their mass spectra and retention times, as well as their Kovats retention indices, with those of injected standards and/or by searching the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Mass Spectral Library database. Of those compounds, 21 shikimate derivatives, 14 terpenes/cadinenes, 12 furan derivatives, 6 esters, 7 acids, 4 ketones, 5 aldehydes, 4 hydrocarbons, 3 alcohols and 1 pyrrole were identified. Conclusion. A total of 31 volatiles have already been reported as aroma-active compounds in cured beans of Vanilla planifolia and Vanillatahitensis . However, to our knowledge, 11 aromatic compounds found in this study have not previously been detected in vanilla beans.