This work presents a RP-HPLC method for the simultaneous quantification of free amino acids and biogenic amines in liquid food matrices and the results of the application to honey and wine samples obtained from different production processes and geographic origins. The developed methodology is based on a pre-column derivatization with o-phthaldialdehyde carried out in the sample injection loop. The compounds were separated in a Nova-Pack RP-C 18 column (150 mm × 3.9 mm, 4 m) at 35• C. The mobile phase used was a mixture of phase A: 10 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.3), methanol and tetrahydrofuran (91:8:1); and phase B: methanol and phosphate buffer (80:20), with a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min. Fluorescence detection was used at an excitation wavelength of 335 nm and an emission wavelength of 440 nm. The separation and quantification of 19 amino acids and 6 amines was carried out in a single run as their OPA/MCE derivatives elute within 80 min, ensuring a reproducible quantification. The method showed to be adequate for the purpose, with an average RSD of 2% for the different amino acids; detection limits varying between 0.71 mg/l (Asn) and 8.26 mg/l (Lys) and recovery rates between 63.0% (Cad) and 98.0% (Asp). The amino acids present at the highest concentration in honey and wine samples were phenylalanine and arginine, respectively. Only residual levels of biogenic amines were detected in the analysed samples.

The volatile composition from four types of multifloral Portuguese (produced in Madeira Island) honeys was investigated by a suitable analytical procedure based on dynamic headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) followed by thermal desorption gas chromatography-quadrupole mass spectrometry detection (GC-qMS). The performance of five commercially available SPME fibres: 100 m polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS; 85 m polyacrylate, PA; 50/30 m divinylbenzene/carboxen on polydimethylsiloxane, DVB/CAR/PDMS (StableFlex); 75 m carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane, CAR/PDMS, and 65 m carbowax/divinylbenzene, CW/DVB; were evaluated and compared. The highest amounts of extract, in terms of the maximum signal obtained for the total volatile composition, were obtained with a DVB/CAR/PDMS coating fibre at 60 • C during an extraction time of 40 min with a constant stirring at 750 rpm, after saturating the sample with NaCl (30%). Using this methodology more than one hundred volatile compounds, belonging to different biosynthetic pathways were identified, including monoterpenols, C 13 -norisoprenoids, sesquiterpenes, higher alcohols, ethyl esters and fatty acids. The main components of the HS-SPME samples of honey were in average ethanol, hotrienol, benzeneacetaldehyde, furfural, trans-linalool oxide and 1,3-dihydroxy-2-propanone.

Dynamic headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) followed by thermal desorption gas chromatography-quadrupole mass spectrometry analysis (GC-q MS), was used to investigate the aroma profile of different species of passion fruit samples. The performance of five commercially available SPME fibres: 65 μm polydimethylsiloxane/divinylbenzene, PDMS/DVB; 100 μm polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS; 85 μm polyacrylate, PA; 50/30 μm divinylbenzene/carboxen on polydimethylsiloxane, DVB/CAR/PDMS (StableFlex); and 75 μm carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane, CAR/PDMS; was evaluated and compared. Several extraction times and temperature conditions were also tested to achieve optimum recovery. The SPME fibre coated with 65 μm PDMS/DVB afforded the highest extraction efficiency, when the samples were extracted at 50°C for 40 min with a constant stirring velocity of 750 rpm, after saturating the sample with NaCl (17%, w/v -0.2 g). A comparison among different passion fruit species has been established in terms of qualitative and semiquantitative differences in volatile composition. By using the optimal extraction conditions and GC-qMS it was possible to tentatively identify seventy one different compounds in Passiflora species: 51 volatiles in Passiflora edulis Sims (purple passion fruit), 24 in P. edulis Sims f. flavicarpa (yellow passion fruit) and 21 compounds in Passiflora mollissima (banana passion fruit). It was found that the ethyl esters comprise the largest class of the passion fruit volatiles, including 82.8% in P. edulis variety, 77.4% in P. edulis Sims f. flavicarpa variety and 39.9% in P. mollissima. The semi-quantitative results were then submitted to principal component analysis (PCA) in order to establish relationships between the compounds and the different passion fruit species under investigation.

a b s t r a c tIn this study the effect of the cultivar on the volatile profile of five different banana varieties was evaluated and determined by dynamic headspace solid-phase microextraction (dHS-SPME) combined with one-dimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (1D-GC-qMS). This approach allowed the definition of a volatile metabolite profile to each banana variety and can be used as pertinent criteria of differentiation. The investigated banana varieties (Dwarf Cavendish, Prata, Maçã, Ouro and Platano) have certified botanical origin and belong to the Musaceae family, the most common genomic group cultivated in Madeira Island (Portugal). The influence of dHS-SPME experimental factors, namely, fibre coating, extraction time and extraction temperature, on the equilibrium headspace analysis was investigated and optimised using univariate optimisation design. A total of 68 volatile organic metabolites (VOMs) were tentatively identified and used to profile the volatile composition in different banana cultivars, thus emphasising the sensitivity and applicability of SPME for establishment of the volatile metabolomic pattern of plant secondary metabolites. Ethyl esters were found to comprise the largest chemical class accounting 80.9%, 86.5%, 51.2%, 90.1% and 6.1% of total peak area for Dwarf Cavendish, Prata, Ouro, Maçã and Platano volatile fraction, respectively. Gas chromatographic peak areas were submitted to multivariate statistical analysis (principal component and stepwise linear discriminant analysis) in order to visualise clusters within samples and to detect the volatile metabolites able to differentiate banana cultivars. The application of the multivariate analysis on the VOMs data set resulted in predictive abilities of 90% as evaluated by the cross-validation procedure.

SUMMARYMadeira wine is an internationally recognized fortified wine, characterized by a complex flavour and high longevity. Little is known about the impact of volatile acidity in its features along ageing. Thus, this work studied the evolution of acetic acid and ethyl acetate (volatile acidity main contributors) during the ageing processes used in Madeira wine production, canteiro and estufagem. Wines aged in canteiro for 6 up to 45 years were also evaluated. The odour rejection thresholds (ORT) were assessed in sweet (Malvasia) and dry (Sercial) wines with 5 and 10 years old, by a regular consumer panel and a non-regular consumer panel. The results showed that the formation trend of acetic acid and ethyl acetate is similar in both ageing processes and is favoured by the ageing, mostly in sweet wines. The ORT of ethyl acetate was in average 328 mg/L for both panels, while for acetic acid ranged between 1.96 and 5.72 g/L, depending on the evaluation panel and also on the age and sweetness degree of the Madeira wine. The ORT values expressed in volatile acidity ranged between 1.4 and 3.5 g/L, which are higher than the legal limits. The study pointed out that the olfactory perception of acetic acid and ethyl acetate in Madeira wines depends on their age and sweetness degree. RESUMOO vinho Madeira é um vinho fortificado reconhecido internacionalmente, caracterizado por um sabor e aroma complexo e elevada longevidade. Pouco se sabe sobre o impacto da acidez volátil nas suas características ao longo do envelhecimento. Assim, este trabalho estudou a evolução do ácido acético e do acetato de etilo (principais contribuintes da acidez volátil) durante os processos de envelhecimento usados na produção de vinho Madeira, canteiro e estufagem. Também foram avaliados vinhos envelhecidos em canteiro por 6 até 45 anos. Os limiares de rejeição olfativa (ORT) foram determinados em vinhos doces (Malvasia) e secos (Sercial) com 5 e 10 anos de idade, por um painel de consumidores regulares e um painel de consumidores não regulares. Os resultados mostraram que a tendência de formação do ácido acético e do acetato de etilo é similar em ambos os processos de envelhecimento e é favorecida com a idade, sobretudo nos vinhos doces. O ORT do acetato de etilo foi em média 328 mg/L para ambos os painéis, enquanto para o ácido acético variou entre 1,96 e 5,72 g/L dependendo do painel de avaliação e também da idade e do grau de doçura do vinho Madeira. Os valores de ORT, expresso em acidez volátil, variaram entre 1,4 e 3,5 g/L, que são superiores aos limites legais. O estudo revela que a perceção olfativa do ácido acético e do acetato em vinhos Madeira depende da sua idade e grau de doçura.