TRANS-2-NONENAL, THE CUCUMBER ODOR OF MUSHROOMS

trans-2-Nonenal was identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis as the cucumber odor in the cucumber/farinaceous subgroup of mushrooms with farinaceous odors. trans-2-Nonenal was not found in th e pure farinaceous or the rancid, oily or fishy/farinaceous variations of this fungal odor. Thus, the odor description cucumber/farinaceous is a valid category. Crushing the fruiting bodies before analysis incr eased the amount of trans-2-nonenal and other volatiles. The mushrooms species used for these experiments were Tricholoma virgatum, Clitophi lus prunulus, Catathelasma ventricosa, Entoloma madidum, Leucopaxillus gentianeus, Nolanea sericea, and N. hirtipes.