The characteristic volatile composition of some horticultural cultivar of broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage grown in Italy

In this paper the volatile composition of some cultivars of broccoli, cauli flower and cabbage was studied. The volatile substances were extracted and concentrated from each sample using a microwave-KS112 resin coupled techniq ue. The obtained volatile extracts were analysed by GC/MS. All the cultivars ha d most of the volatile compounds of the Brassicacee family and trisulfide d imethyl was more prevalent than the other volatile compounds. For the volat ile characteristic compounds, cauliflower had the higher number containing N and S (63%); while in the broccoli and cabbage species, they were respect ively 42% and 39% of total aroma. Cabbage contained more isothiocyanates and nitriles than the other two spec ies; while in the cauliflower species sulfures and thionitriles had greater values.