CHARACTERIZATION OF 7 NEW HYDROCARBON COMPOUNDS PRESENT IN THE AROMA OF VIRGIN OLIVE OILS

Seven isomeric hydrocarbons were detected in the volatile fraction of three samples of virgin olive oil. Chemical ionization mass spectromet ry was used to assign the molecular formulas. Their structures were co nfirmed by comparison of retention time and mass spectral data with th ose of a synthetic sample obtained by pentene radical coupling. A fina l characterization of each chromatographic peak was done by means of a chiral capillary column to distinguish the optically active compounds from the isomers without chiral centers. For the quantitation the rec overy factor in the oily matrix during the extraction of the volatile fraction was obtained using a related chemical, the commercially avail able beta-citronellene. On the basis of the previous literature and th e present experiments a tentative rationalization of the involved bioc hemical pathway is proposed.