COMPARISON OF VOLATILES IN RAW AND BOILED POTATOES USING A MILD EXTRACTION TECHNIQUE COMBINED WITH GC ODOR PROFILING AND GC-MS

Aromas of raw and boiled potatoes were compared using a mild extractio n technique, ensuring preservation of the very labile composition of p otato aroma during analysis. The extracts were evaluated by GC-MS and GC-sniffing using a panel of four judges. A total of 29 compounds were identified by GC-MS in raw potatoes and 25 in boiled. Twenty compound s were found in both raw and boiled potatoes, but most often in very d ifferent concentrations. During GC-sniffing, 33 odours were detected i n boiled, and 27 in raw potatoes. Eight odours corresponded to compoun ds identified by GC-MS. Another four odours could be tentatively ident ified. It is concluded that the change in aroma during boiling of pota toes depends on compounds from lipid oxidation as well as compounds fr om other types of reactions, for instance the Strecker-degradation. (C ) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All right reserved.