VACUUM HEADSPACE METHOD IN AROMA RESEARCH - FLAVOR CHEMISTRY OF YELLOW PASSION FRUITS

The volatile flavor components of yellow passion fruits have been isol ated using four different isolation techniques. The most representativ e and typical extract was obtained by vacuum headspace sampling and su bsequent liquid-liquid extraction of the aqueous phase. This vacuum he adspace concentrate was prefractionated by medium-pressure adsorption chromatography on silica gel. Approximately 180 components were identi fied in the LC fractions of yellow passion fruit flavor for the first time. Of these compounds, 14 components have not previously been repor ted as naturally occurring flavor ingredients. Moreover, 47 sulfur-con taining volatiles were identified in yellow passion fruits after enric hment by preparative multidimensional capillary gas chromatography; 35 of these components are reported to be present in the tropical fruit flavor for the first time, and 23 of these sulfur-bearing compounds ha ve not been previously reported as constituents of food flavors and ar e therefore new natural components. In addition, the enantiomeric dist ributions of several chiral flavor substances were determined by enant ioselective multidimensional gas chromatography.