Intensive neutral odourants of linden honey Differences from honeys of other botanical origin

Abstract

Aroma extract dilution analysis of linden honey volatiles resulted in 21 odour compounds having high factors of dilution (FD); 18 of these compounds were identified as 1-hexen-3-one, 2-acetyl-1 -pyrroline, dimethyl trisulphide, methional, phenylacetaldehyde, 2-phenylethanol, linalool, p-cresol, 3,9-epoxy-lpmenthene, 4-methylacetophenone, 3,9-epoxy-1,4(8)-p-menthadiene (linden ether), 1,3 p-menthadien-7-al, p-anisaldehyde, 4vinylguaiacol, (E)-p-damascenone, eugenol, vanillin andcis-rose oxide. Linden ether andcis-rose oxide, which were also found in an extract obtained from the blossoms of the lime tree (Tifa cordata), were absent in honeys of other botanical origin. These two odourants and the odourlesstrans-limonene-1,2-diol are proposed as indicators for linden honey. The odour thresholds (in air) of the 18 aroma compounds are reported.