ANALYSIS OF COMPOUNDS IN HUMAN BREATH AFTER INGESTION OF GARLIC USINGPROTON-TRANSFER-REACTION MASS-SPECTROMETRY

After ingestion of raw garlic, the components allyl methyl sulfide (1) , allyl methyl disulfide (2), diallyl sulfide (3), diallyl disulfide ( 4), diallyl trisulfide (7), dimethyl sulfide (8), and acetone (9) in t he breath of a test person were analyzed over a time period of about 3 0 h by means of proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry. While the concentrations of 2-7 reached maxima shortly after ingestion of garlic and declined to baseline values within the next 2-3 h, concentrations of 1, 8, and 9 increased much more slowly and showed enhanced values even 30 h after garlic consumption. The strong increase of the concent ration of acetone might be indicative of enhanced metabolism of serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and total lipids in the blood stream.