Analysis of potent odorants in spearmint oils
Spearmint has been grown in gardens since the 9th century as an herb thought to possess a wide range of health benefits. Spearmint was introduced to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1628. Commercial cultivation of spearmint in the United States began in the 1790’s. The production of spearmint spread west and now is primarily grown in Washington and Oregon. The majority of the world’s spearmint is grown in the United States, with production totaling 2.93 million pounds in 2013. The popularity of spearmint is attributed mainly to its use in chewing gum and breath mints, as well as other confectionery products and oral healthcare products. While the major volatile constituents of spearmint are well known, there has been little research on the potent odorants in spearmint. The identification and quantitation of these compounds was performed in this study to give a better understanding the flavor chemistry of spearmint oils. Potent odorants in Native spearmint, Scotch spearmint, and Macho mint oils were identified by application of gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Aroma extract dilution analysis was performed to determine the potency of the odorants. Of the 85 odorants detected, R-(-)-carvone was the most potent odorant in all three spearmint oils. Eugenol, ethyl-2-methyl butyrate, β-damacenone, and (3E,5Z)-1,3,5-undecatriene were also identified to be predominant odorants in the spearmint oils. New potent odorants not previously identified in spearmint include 1-hexen-3-one, 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol, and 2-methylisoborneol. Forty-six compounds in Native spearmint, Scotch spearmint, and Macho mint oils were quantified using various methods. Nineteen high abundance compounds were quantified using a gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID), 20 were quantified by stable isotope dilution analysis (SIDA), and 14 were quantified by gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) dilution analysis. Seven of the compounds quantified by GC-O dilution analysis were also quantified by SIDA. The concentration results were used to calculate the odor activity value (OAV) of each compound by dividing the concentration by the odor detection threshold of the compound in water. Among the compounds quantified, those with the highest OAVs were R-(-)-carvone, 1,8-cineole, (E,Z)-2,6-nonadienal, β-damascenone, and (3E,5Z)-1,3,5-undecatriene.
Spearmint, essential oil, gas-chromatography-olfactometry, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, aroma extract dilution analysis, stable isotope dilution analysis
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign