Fresh Tomato Volatiles

Analysis of the vacuum volatile constituents of fresh tomatoes was carried out using capillary GLC-MS and packed column GLC separation with infrared, NMR and CI-MS analysis. Evidence was obtained for the presence of the unusual components β-damascenone, 1-nitro-2- -phenylethane, 1-nitro-3-methylbutane, β-cyclocitral and epoxy-β-ionone. A method for the quantitative analysis of the volatile aroma components in fresh tomato has been improved and applied to fresh tomato samples. The quantitative data obtained have been combined with odor threshold data to calculate odor unit values (ratio of concentration / threshold) for 30 major tomato components. These calculations indicate that the major contributors to fresh tomato aroma include (Z)-3-hexenal, β-ionone, hexanal, β-damascenone, 1-penten-3-one, 3-methylbutanal, (E)-2-hexenal, 2-isobutylthiazole, 1-nitrophenylethane and (E)-2-heptenal.