ANALYSIS OF SKATOLE IN OFF-FLAVOR BEEF BY GC MS/

An extract from beef with a ''medicinal'' smell in sensory analysis wa s analyzed by using GC/MS, and skatole was identified as the cause of the off-flavor. A GC/MS method with selected ion monitoring (SIM) was established for quantitative and sensitive analysis of skatole in beef with a detection limit of 0.1 mu g/g . The recoveries of skatole from beef fortified at the levels of 0.5 mu g/g and 5.0 mu g/g were more t han 95%. Skatole was detected in smelly beef in the range of 1.6 simil ar to 5.6 mu g/g. One sample among 30 commercial beef samples analyzed showed a level of 0.1 mu g/g. The threshold level of skatole for the off-flavor was evaluated as 0.2 similar to 0.3 mu g/g by sensory analy sis. Based on the concentration of skatole in off-flavor beef, the ori gin of the off-flavor was concluded to be skatole.