Basic informations about the composition of yeast autolysate GistexLX-11-powder were obtained. The representative sample of volatile flavour-significant compounds was isolated. There were 29 substances identified in the acidic fraction of the isolate and the odour of this fraction was organoleptically evaluated. The organoleptic properties were mainly influenced by the presence of lower fatty acids and phenylacetic and 3-phenylpropionic acids. Two sulphur-containing heterocyclic acids, i. e. 2-thiophenecarboxylic and 5-methyl-2-thiophenecarboxylic acids were identified for the first time as volatile constituents of foodstuffs. Flavour properties of these two and other 6 sulphur-and oxygen-containing heterocyclic acids were evaluated and their mass spectra are presented.Hydrolyzed vegetable proteins have been widely used for flavouring of many foodstuffs [l]. There are various types of these products that can be divided into 2 groups. First, chemical hydrolyzates produced mainly by hydrochloric acid hydrolysis, second, enzymic hydrolyzates (shoyu, yeast autolysates, etc.).A great number of studies has paid attention to flavour-significant compounds contributing to the typical flavour of Japanese shoyu [2-41. NONUMURA et al. HOUGH et al. [16] studied the biochemical changes occurring during yeast autolysis. They described the principle hydrolytic enzymes splitting the main components of yeast cells, i.e. proteins, saccharides and nucleic acids.This study was undertaken in order to receive some additional informations about flavoursignificant components of yeast autolysates.
Experimental
Material and rejerence compoundsYeast autolysate Gistex X-I1 powder (Koninklijke Netherlandsche Gist-en Spiritusfabriek N.V., Delft, Holland). The following heterocyclic acids were synthesized: 2-thiophenecarboxylic acid [17, 181, 5-methyl-2-thiophenecarboxylic acid [19, 201, 2-thienylacetic acid [21], 5-methyl-2-thienylacetic acid [2 I], 3-(2-thienyl) propionic acid [20,22],2-furylacetic acid [23-251, 5-methyl-2-furylacetic acid [23, 261. Other chemicals were obtained from Lachema n.p., Brno, Czechoslovakia.
ApparatusA gas chromatograph Chrom 4 equipped with a flame ionization detector (Laboratorni piistroje n.p., Praha, Czechoslovakia), a LKB 9000 mass spectrometer (LKB Producter AB, Stockholm, Sweden).
MethodsIsolation of flavour-signljkant compounds 8000 g of the yeast autolysate were mixed with sand and all the portions, 1000 g each, were extracted in a SOMLET apparatus with diethyl ether for 52 h. The combined extracts were dried over anhydrous sodium sulphate and concentrated to 100 ml using a Snyder column.
Acidic fraction90 ml of the above mentioned diethyl ether solution were extracted with five 20 ml portions of 5 7; sodium bicarbonate, the extract was evaporated under vaccum nearly to dryness, acidified with hydrochloric acid to pH 0.5 and extracted again with five 20 ml portions of diethyl ether. The combined extracts were dried with anhydrous sodium sulphate and concentrated as above to 1 ml.One half of the obtained...