Gas Chromatography—Olfactometry of Glucose—Proline Maillard Reaction Products

The aroma produced by the reaction between glucose and proline at 200 °C is primarily due to 5 compounds: diacetyl, 2-acetyl-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridine, 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, 2-acetyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridine, and furaneol. Gas chromatography-olfactometry using the technique CharmAnalysis ™ produced chromatograms of odor-activity which, with gas chromatography - mass spectroscopy, allowed the identification of the odor-active compounds based on their retention index. At a lower reaction temperature, 180 °C, the minor odor-active compounds were not detected, thus altering the aroma profile. Maltoxazine, a major volatile, produced zero odor potency while the main volatile product of the reaction, 5-acetyl-2,3-1H-pyrrolizine, was found to contribute only 0.3 % to the total aroma.