Volatile flavour components of baked potato flesh. A comparison of eleven potato cultivars

Tubers of eleven cultivars of potato were baked and the flavour compounds f rom the flesh were isolated by headspace adsorption onto Tenax and analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Lipid degradation and the Maillard reaction were the main sources of flavour compounds, accounting f or 22-69% and 28-77%, respectively, of the total yields. Various sulfur com pounds, methoxypyrazines and terpenes were also identified at lower levels. Relative aroma impact values (RAVs) were calculated by dividing compound y ields by the odour threshold value. Compounds contributing most to aroma (R AV > 10000 in at least one cultivar) were 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine, 2-i sopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, beta -damascenone, dimethyl trisulfide, decanal and 3-methylbutanal. The observed differences in yields and RAVs for compo unds among cultivars would be expected to result in differences in perceive d flavour.