Olfactory and Quantitative Analysis of Aroma Compounds in Elder Flower (Sambucus nigra L.) Drink Processed from Five Cultivars

Abstract

Fresh elder flowers (Sambucus nigra L.) were extracted with an aqueous solution containing sucrose, peeled lemon slices, tartaric acid, and sodium benzoate to make elder flower syrup. Aroma compounds emitted from the elder flower syrup were collected by the dynamic headspace technique and analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. A total of 59 compounds were identified, 18 of which have not previously been detected in elder flower products. The concentrations of the identified volatiles were measured in five elder cultivars, Allesoe, Donau, Sambu, Sampo, and Samyl, and significant differences were detected among cultivars in the concentration levels of 48 compounds. The odor of the volatiles was evaluated by the GC-sniffing technique. cis-Rose oxide, nerol oxide, hotrienol, and nonanal contributed to the characteristic elder flower odor, whereas linalool, alpha-terpineol, 4-methyl-3-penten-2-one, and (Z)-beta-ocimene contributed with floral notes. Fruity odors were associated with pentanal, heptanal, and beta-damascenone. Fresh and grassy odors were primarily correlated with hexanal, hexanol, and (Z)-3-hexenol.

Authenticity Assessment of the “Onisiówka” Nalewka Liqueurs Using Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography and Sensory Evaluation

“…In this study, 18 terpenes were identified; most of them may affect the pleasant fruity and herbaceous flavor of the BOnisiówka^. Terpenes such as (Z)-rose oxide, nerol oxide, and hotrienol are responsible for the characteristic floral aroma of elder flowers (Farkas et al 1995;Jørgensen et al 2000). In addition, other identified terpenes such as α-terpineol, terpinen-4-ol, terpinolene, nerol oxide, (Z)-linalool oxide, limonene, and 1,8-cineole have been also detected previously in honeys, elderberry fruits, and flowers (Jørgensen et al 2000;Jensen et al 2001;Cajka et al 2007).…”

“…Most of them characterized fruity and floral flavor such as 3-methylbutanol, benzyl alcohol, 2-ethylhexanol, 1-octanol, 1-nonanol, hexanal, octanal, benzeneacetaldehyde, nonanal, 2-phenylpropenal, 2,4-nonadienal, decanal, 2-decenal, dodecanal, butylphenyl methylpropional, (E)-3-penten-2-one, 2-heptanone, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, acetophenone, 2-nonanone, 4-methylacetophenone, 2-decanone, 2-undecanone, 2-dodecanone, and 2-pentadecanone. Most of these compounds were previously identified in several studies of honey, elderberry fruits, and flowers (Jørgensen et al 2000;Baroni et al 2006;Pontes et al 2007;Kaack 2008;Kaack and Christensen 2008; Fig. 3 The example of tentatively identified nonanal extracted by the use of HS-SPME from the BOnisiówka^nalewka liqueur and analyzed through the GC×GC-TOFMS system.…”

“…In general, esters of lower carboxylic acid and lower alcohols characterized with fruity sensory properties, for example, butyl acetate, ethyl pentanoate, ethyl hexanoate, hexyl acetate, ethyl 2-hydroxypropanoate, and ethyl octanoate. However, fatty acid esters like ethyl hexadecanoate contribute to waxy flavor (Jørgensen et al 2000). Aldehydes, ketones, and alcohol are other large chemical groups of identified chemical compounds in the BOnisiówka^.…”

“…Aldehydes, ketones, and alcohol are other large chemical groups of identified chemical compounds in the BOnisiówka^. According to Jørgensen et al (2000) and Cajka et al (2007) aldehydes, ketones, and alcohol represented major chemical groups of honey and elder flower volatile compounds. Most of them characterized fruity and floral flavor such as 3-methylbutanol, benzyl alcohol, 2-ethylhexanol, 1-octanol, 1-nonanol, hexanal, octanal, benzeneacetaldehyde, nonanal, 2-phenylpropenal, 2,4-nonadienal, decanal, 2-decenal, dodecanal, butylphenyl methylpropional, (E)-3-penten-2-one, 2-heptanone, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, acetophenone, 2-nonanone, 4-methylacetophenone, 2-decanone, 2-undecanone, 2-dodecanone, and 2-pentadecanone.…”

“…Benzaldehyde and benzenealdehyde have been reported as usual components of unifloral honey (Baroni et al 2006). Also, benzaldehyde previously has been detected as the most abundant aromatic compound in headspace of elderberry flower drink (Jørgensen et al 2000). Benzyl alcohol and 2-phenylethanol have been identified and described as contributors to the flavor of elderberry (Mikova et al 1984).…”