ISHS Acta Horticulturae 736: III International Date Palm Conference
VOLATILE COMPOUNDS IN DATE PALM FRUIT |
| Author: | N. Narain |
| Keywords: | volatiles, flavor, aroma, gas chromatography, mass spectrometry |
| Abstract:
Volatile compounds from date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) fruits were extracted using Likens and Nickerson´s apparatus. Several extraction parameters such as weight of the pulp portion, dilution with water, solvent volume and extraction period were standardized to obtain highly characteristic date palm fruit aroma extracts. The extracts were concentrated and analyzed for the identification of volatile compounds using a system of high resolution gas chromatograph coupled with mass spectrometer. Better separation was achieved in a polar capillary column (HP-INNOWax 30 m x 0.25 mm x 0.25 µm). Compounds were positively identified when the mass spectrum and retention index data of the identified compound matched that of the authentic standard run under identical analytical conditions. A total of 78 components were separated, of which 35 compounds were positively identified and 8 tentatively identified. The other components could not be identified. Among the identified components in the fleshy pulp of date palm fruit were 14 esters representing an area of about 23%, 10 alcohols (average area 17%), 4 lactones (average area 8%), 8 aldehydes, (15%) and 3 ketones (average area 3.5%). The principal volatile compounds present were ethyl acetate, acetaldehyde, isopropyl acetate, δ-valerolactone, octanal, furfuryl alcohol, 5-methyl furfural, linalool, δ-valerolactone and γ –undecalactone. | |
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