Characterization of spoilage-related volatile organic compounds in packaged leaf salads

0519358 - ÚFCH JH 2021 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Dryahina, Kseniya - Som, Suman - Smith, D. - Španěl, Patrik
Characterization of spoilage-related volatile organic compounds in packaged leaf salads.
Flavour and Fragrance Journal. Roč. 35, č. 1 (2020), s. 24-33. ISSN 0882-5734. E-ISSN 1099-1026
R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA18-12902S
Institutional support: RVO:61388955
Keywords : dimethyl disulphide * dimethyl sulphide * leaf salad * methanol * sift-ms * spoilage * volatile organic compounds
OECD category: Physical chemistry
Impact factor: 2.576, year: 2020
Method of publishing: Limited access

A study has been made of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released into the contained headspace of packaged lamb's lettuce (Valerianella locusta) plants, cut at the roots, and of separated rocket (Eruca sativa) and baby spinach (Spinacia oleracea) leaves. Direct real-time analyses of the headspace were carried out on each of five consecutive days using selected-ion flow-tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) and secondary electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (SESI-MS), together with concomitant off-line analyses using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). It was observed that the concentrations of organosulphur compounds, especially dimethyl sulphide (DMS) and dimethyl disulphide (DMDS) were relatively low in the headspace of fresh samples, but increased exponentially over the 5 days for rocket, increased to a lesser extent for spinach, and increased to an even lesser extent for lamb's lettuce. Methanol was detected in the headspace of even fresh samples of lamb's lettuce, and its concentration increased for the subsequent 2–3 days before decreasing. This trend was mirrored in the isoprenoids analysed, which are characteristic of plant tissues. These results show that direct real-time VOC analyses by SIFT-MS can be usefully exploited to monitor fresh leaf salad spoilage, and that SESI-MS spectra show patterns that are characteristic of salad type and storage time.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0304353