STUDY OF THE COMPONENTS OF A SOLID SMOKE FLAVORING PREPARATION

The study of the components of a solid smoke flavouring preparation wa s carried out using several techniques. The sample was extracted by me ans of an ultrasonic bath and by successively using dichloromethane an d water as solvents. Observation by microscope, of the initial sample and the residues of extractions, indicate that the carrier of this pre paration consists of two components insoluble in dichloromethane. One of these consist of small transparent globular particles, and the othe r of irregular particles of a gold colour, the latter is soluble in wa ter. Fourier Transform infra-red spectra of the solid smoke flavouring preparation, its extracts and residues, were obtained and studied. Fr om these it can be concluded that the two components of the carrier ar e saccharides, one of them similar to starch and the other with reduci ng ability owing to the presence of carbonyl groups. Also, from the in fra-red spectrum of the flavouring mixture extracted with dichlorometh ane, ratios between the absorbances of carbonyl and phenol functional groups are obtained, and compared with those of an aqueous smoke flavo uring. Finally, the composition of the volatile fraction of the extrac t in dichloromethane was studied by gas chromatography-mass spectromet ry and gas chromatography techniques. Carbonyl compounds, namely keton es, aldehydes, and furan and pyran derivatives, are the major componen ts and constitute approximately 60% of the volatile fraction of the ex tract. Also, phenol derivatives are present in the sample. Guaiacol an d syringol derivatives constitute approximately 25% of the volatile fr action. Some compounds, not previously detected in wood smoke, were id entified in this flavouring. However, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were not detected in the sample. Quantitative data from gas chromatog raphy and infrared spectroscopy agree, and show the close relationship between the composition of the soluble fraction in dichloromethane an d the odour of the sample.