Detection of powerful odorants in heated milk by use of extract dilution sniffing analysis

Abstract

SummaryThe odour impact compounds of raw, pasteurized and UHT bovine milk were investigated using vacuum extraction and extract dilution sniffing analysis using CharmAnalysis™. Fifteen odour peaks with Charm values between 10 and 3443 were detected. Of these peaks, twelve were identified as hexanal, ethyl butanoate, 2-heptanone, heptanal, dimethyl sulphone, l-octen-3-ol, ethyl hexanoate, 2-nonanone, nonanal, benzothiazole, 2-undecanone, indole and one as a mixture of 2-tridecanone and δ-decalactone. Dimethyl sulphone, indole and one unknown compound (retention index 1154) were the only ones detected as odour impact compounds in all three types of milk. Ethyl butanoate and ethyl hexanoate were found as powerful odorants only in raw milk. A further predominant odorant for this milk was dimethyl sulphone, which was the most important odorant in pasteurized milk. 2-Hexanone and 2-nonanone were identified as the most intense volatile flavour compounds of UHT milk. The powerful odorants described can be used as indicators of the aroma quality of heated milk.