Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) technique for measurement of generationof fresh cucumber flavor compounds

Investigations were carried out to determine whether flavor compounds chara cteristic for fresh cucumbers could be rapidly determined using a solid-pha se microextraction (SPME) dynamic headspace sampling method combined with g as chromatography and flame ionization detection. Cucumbers were sampled, d uring blending, for fresh cucumber flavor compounds (E,Z)-2,6-nonadienal an d (E)-2-nonenal. The GC was such that the two target compounds were separat ed and baseline-resolved. Relative standard deviations for analysis of both (E,Z)-2,6-nonadienal and (E)-2-nonenal using this SPME sampling method wer e +/- 10%. Utility of the analytical method was demonstrated by determining the effect of heat treatments on the ability of cucumbers to produce these flavor impact compounds.