Method optimization for analysis of the volatile fraction of ewe cheese by solid-phase microextraction

Abstract

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) is a simple, fast, economic and solvent-free sample preparation technique that has, among other applications, been used to measure the volatile flavor profiles of foods and beverages. The objective of our study was to optimize the application of SPME-GC for analysis of volatile compounds in ewe cheeses. The volatile compounds in cheese were extracted by immersing the fiber coating in the sample headspace. The effects of fiber coating, exposure time, and sample and headspace volumens were investigated. The optimized methodology was suitable for studying the profiles of volatile compounds in ewe cheese during ripening. The advantages and limitations of SPME in the analysis of volatile compounds in cheese are discussed.