Flavour and off-flavour compounds of black and white pepper (Piper nigrum L.) II. Odour activity values of desirable and undesirable odorants of black pepper

Quantification of 14 odorants and calculation of their odour activity value s were the basis of an aroma model reflecting most of the odour notes of bl ack pepper. Omission tests indicated alpha- and beta-pinene, myrcene, alpha -phellandrene, limonene, linalool, methylpropanal, 2- and 3-methylbutanal, butyric acid and 3-methylbutyric acid as key odorants. A storage experiment revealed that for ground black pepper, losses of cr-pinene, limonene and 3 -methylbutanal were mainly responsible for deficits in the pepper-like, cit rus-like, terpene-like and malty notes after 30 days at room temperature. T he musty/mouldy off-flavour of a sample of black pepper was caused by a mix ture consisting of 2,3-diethyl-5-methylpyrazine (2.9 mu g/kg) and 2-isoprop yl-3-methoxypyrazine (0.2 mu g/kg).