3,6-Dimethyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-benzo[b]-furan-2(3H)-one (D menthofurolactone), first reported as a by-product in the oxidation of menthofuran and hitherto unknown in nature, is shown to be naturally occurring in Mentha piperita L. essential oil. In addition to a description of its synthesis and organoleptic properties, the key role of menthofurolactone in the flavour profile of peppermint oil is demonstrated by mint oil analysis and olfactory studies.

A sensitive analytical method for the quantification of malodourous hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and methanethiol (CH3SH) was developed and validated. The method consisted of solid‐phase microextraction with concomitant in‐fibre derivatisation of the mercaptan using N‐ethylmaleimide. The adducts were analysed by GC–MS using a triple quadrupole in the selected reaction monitoring mode. The limits of detection of solutions of H2S and CH3SH in water were 100 and 10 ng L−1, respectively, below their odour‐perception thresholds. The analytical method was used to show the scavenging effect of 1,2‐benzisothiazol‐3(2H)‐one (Proxel) and 2‐methyl‐4‐isothiazolinone. The mechanism by which H2S and CH3SH are trapped with Proxel was studied by ultraperformance liquid chromatography (UPLC)‐MS.

The volatile compounds from cooked petai beans (Parkia speciosa) were isolated by hydrodistillation under reduced pressure followed by solvent extraction. The organic extract was analyzed by classical single quadrupole GC/MS and by high resolution GC/ToF-MS. Cyclic polysulphides were the major components of petai. New sulphur minor compounds were also identified and some of them were synthesised. 1,3-Dithiabutane was found for the first time in a natural product whereas 2,4-dithiapentane, 2,3,5-trithiahexane and 2,4,6-trithiaheptane for the first time in Parkia speciosa. GC/O analyses showed that these linear polysulphides have an important contribution to the flavour of cooked petai beans.

The homo-Reformatsky reaction, in which a metal homoenolate of an ester is added to an aldehyde, was adapted to produce γ-lactones from unsaturated, enolizable aldehydes. By use of titanium homoenolate, 11 different γ-lactones were synthesized in one step with moderate to good yields from readily available aldehydes. In particular, this procedure allowed the rapid preparation of a series of C(12) unsaturated γ-lactones differing in the position and configuration of the double bond. These reference compounds will be used to identify previously unknown lactones in butter oil. The chromatographic, spectral, and sensory descriptions of the synthesized lactones are provided.

Sweet cream butter oil was analyzed to identify new volatile compounds that may contribute to its flavor, with an emphasis on lactones. The volatile part of butter oil was obtained by using short-path distillation. As some previously unknown lactones were detected in this first extract, it was fractionated further. The fatty acids were removed, and the extract was fractionated by flash chromatography. Three lactonic fractions possessing a creamy, buttery, and fatty character were investigated in depth by gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry (MS) (EI and CI) and high-resolution GC-time-of-flight MS. Many lactones were identified by their mass fragmentation and by comparison with reference materials synthesized during this work. Six γ-lactones, five δ-lactones, and one ε-lactone were identified for the first time in butter oil, seven of them for the first time in a natural product. The possible contribution of these new lactones to the aroma of butter oil is briefly discussed.