Flavour and Fragrance Journal

Volatile phenols have been considered as a class of highly flavour-active compounds in non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages. However, the information on volatile phenols in Chinese liquors remains limited. An HPLC-FLD method for the determination of 10 volatile phenols in Chinese liquors is presented. The method was based on the fluorescent nature of volatile phenols, the separation of p-cresol and m-cresol with β-cyclodextrin as the resolving agent, and the use of a protective barrier layer for the capture of volatile phenols during the concentration process of the extract solution. The effects of several experimental parameters on recoveries of target volatile phenols were investigated. The correlation coefficients (R2) for calibration curves of the 10 phenols studied were in the range 0.9991-0.9998 when the linearity range was from 0.05 to 4 µg/ml. The proposed RP-HPLC method was successfully applied to the analysis of Chinese liquors. Recoveries of the phenols were in the range 91.5-100.4% with RSD 0.9-2.2%. The limits of detection were 0.0072-0.0234 µg/ml. Volatile phenols of different types and in differing amounts were found in several Chinese liquors. The method could be used for routine evaluation of the quantity of volatile phenols during the production and ageing of Chinese liquors.

Six lavender essential oils were evaluated from a phytochemical and biological standpoint. The results were computed by using multivariate data analysis, which identified three main phytochemical clusters. Functional properties of the oils were checked by estimating cytotoxicity and genotoxicity, antifungal activity, and antioxidant capacity. Taking these oils as a model and computing multivariate data of a reduced number of parameters led to a description of the relationship between the phytocomplex, its constituents and bioactivities, and allowed an approach where the chemical profile provides a possible synergic overall effort in terms of applicative perspectives.

The additions of different sulphur dioxide and oxygen levels to Sauvignon blanc must were investigated to elucidate the effect on various volatile and non-volatile compounds in the must and wine.

Inhalation of lavander oil paralleled effects of Chloradiazepoxide (CDP) in up-regulating synthesis of serotonin in rat pre-frontal cortex: and the co-administration of CDP with 2.5% lavander oil tended to augment effect of CDP on serotonin in their pre-frontal cortex and striatum.

2-Sulfanyl-3-methylbutyl formate and acetate were synthesized, and characterized by comparison with commercially available 3-sulfanyl-3-methylbutyl formate and acetate (retention indexes, mass spectra, odour descriptors, and intensities). Only 3-sulfanyl-3-methylbutyl formate was perceived at the sniffing port in beer extracts and concentrations up to 1230 ng/L were measured in pilot beers after one month at 20°C, although the compounds are rarely detected in commercial beers with highly oxygen-protected bottling. Accelerated ageing in the presence of oxygen confirmed the key role of oxygen.

The volatile constituents of Blue Moon and Blue Perfume species, which were classified blue type depend on its scent in the HT roses, were analyzed using Aromascope® technology and solvent extraction method followed by GC-MS analysis. And geraniol, citronellol, nerol, 1,3-dimethoxy-5-methylbenzene (DMMB), dihydro-β-ionol and geranial were identified as the main odor components. Then, three components were newly identified, 2-isopropyl-4-methyl-thiazole with a characteristic pungent vegetable tropical notes, (Z)-yuzu lactone, and methyl cis-(Z)-jasmonate. The chiral analysis results were followings in both rose flowers. The ratio of (S)-isomer vs (R)-isomer of linalool was 8:92. Only (3S)-enantiomer was detected for trans-nerolidol. The ratio of (2S)-isomer vs (2R)-isomer in theaspirane A and theaspirane B were about 96:4. Finally, no absolute stereochemistry determined for dihydro-β-ionol, only (+)-isomer was present.

The genotoxic activity of 15 essential oil constituents used as flavouring agents or cosmetic ingredients was assessed using the Drosophila melanogaster SMART test. Ten of the compounds were found free of mutagenic or recombinogenic activity; three exhibited weak positive effects; while two significantly increased the frequency of mutant clones at the high concentrations tested. Our data suggest the need for re-evaluating the safety of suspect compounds with cross-checked genotoxicity studies and at a range of different concentrations.