ODOR THRESHOLDS OF VARIOUS BRANCHED AND STRAIGHT-CHAIN ACETATES

A series of straight chain and branched esters (ethyl acetate to 2-non yl acetate) were purified by preparative gas chromatography and their odour thresholds were determined using sensory panel methods Pentyl ac etate and 2-butyl acetate had the lowest odour thresholds of the strai ght chain and branched acetates, respectively. Addition of a methyl gr oup at the I-position of the alcohol did not have a consistent effect on the odour threshold. For ethyl acetate, propyl acetate, butyl aceta te and heptyl acetate the addition of a methyl group in the I-position caused a decrease in the odour threshold; whereas for pentyl acetate, hexyl acetate and octyl acetate the addition of a methyl group in the I-position caused an increase in the odour threshold. (C) 1996 Academ ic Press Limited