Published:Journal of Chromatographic Science,
ISSN 0021-9665Volume
40, Number 3, March 2002, pp. 133-139
Semiquantitative Determination of Off-Notes in Mint Oils by Solid-Phase
Microextraction
W.M. Coleman, III, B.M. Lawrence, and S.K. Cole
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, P.O. Box 1487, Winston-Salem, NC 27102-1487
Mint essential oils are produced by the steam distillation of
dried or partially dried harvested plant material. In the United States, harvesting
is done mechanically so that any weeds found in the field are concomitantly
harvested. Steam distillation of contaminated plant material leads to off-notes
in the oil, which are currently determined by a sensory panel. Furthermore,
nonoptimized distillation conditions can lead to the thermal degradation of
carbohydrates and proteins resulting also in the formation of very volatile
off top-notes. As a result, the use of a nonequilibrated solid-phase microextraction
(SPME) procedure to determine the off-notes is evaluated. The results of this
evaluation include a combination of semiquantitative data, odor threshold data,
and mathematical data manipulation to ascertain the capabilities of a SPME approach.
The results are correlated with sensory panel data to yield a relatively rapid
analytical methodology that can be used either in place of or in support of
sensory analyses. The main advantage of the technique described is to provide
some semiquantitative data in support of the odor-panel screening of mint oils
for off-notes. Based on the data presented in this report, it is believed that
this has been successfully demonstrated.
Reproduction
of editorial content of this journal is prohibited without publisher’s
permission.
This
article is available in its entirety by fax for $4.00 per
page.
Visa or MasterCard accepted.
To
order electronicallyclick here or call: 847-647-2900 ext. 1323 or fax request to: 847-647-1155.
Please
indicate JCS volume and issue along with
page numbers.
