Quantitative analysis of aroma compounds in carrot (Daucus carota L.) cultivars by capillary gas chromatography using large-volume injection technique

Dynamic headspace sampling was used to collect aroma compounds from raw sam ples of four carrot (Daucus carota L.) cultivars (Brasilia, Duke, Fancy, an d Cortez). The collected volatiles were analyzed by capillary GC-FID and GC -MS using large-volume cool on-column injection (LVI-COC). Of the 36 compou nds identified, 6 had not been previously detected in carrots. Significant differences between the carrot cultivars were found for 31 of the identifie d volatiles as well as for total monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and total vo latile content. Mono- and sesquiterpenes accounted for about 98% of the tot al volatile mass in all cultivars. LVI-COC injection was used to determine the loss of carrot volatiles during concentration of headspace samples unde r a stream of nitrogen. The loss among major monoterpenes in the concentrat ed samples varied from 16% for p-cymene to > 40% for alpha -pinene as compa red to nonconcentrated samples. The loss among high-boiling sesquiterpenes varied from not detectable ( beta -caryophyllene, alpha -humulene, and cary ophyllene oxide) to approximately 7% for (E)- and (Z)-gamma -bisabolene.