Efects of ripening degree and sample preparation on peach aroma profle characterization by headspace solid-phase microextraction

Abstract

Peaches are consumed worldwide and have great market demand. Compared to apricots, the volatiles defning the typicalpeach aroma are still poorly analytically characterized. Te aim of our study was to determine the impact of the stage of ripening, samplestorage conditions, and type of fber coating and extraction glassware on peach aroma compounds. Te peach aroma components wereextracted by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and with the application of a specifc fber (DVB/CAR/PDMS fber)that retained the main group of volatiles present in peaches. Artisan-made glassware that enabled bigger sample loads was used. It wasfound that its application provided a 3-fold higher extraction of aromatic compounds on average. Signifcant diferences were alsofound when the same peach pulp was analyzed fresh or frozen (in liquid nitrogen or in the freezer at 16 °C). In fresh peaches, a higheramount of some alcohols and important esters was determined. Liquid nitrogen had a positive impact on hexanal and (E)-2-hexenal,whereas the storage of samples in the freezer had a major impact on most other aldehydes, as well as limonene. Te study revealed theimportance of sample preparation and storage on the overall aromatic profle of peaches.