Volatile flavour components of parsley leaves (Petroselinum crispum (mill.) nyman)

Abstract

Fourteen compounds have been positively identified by gas chromatographymass spectrometry and a further seven tentatively identified in the headspace vapours above minced parsley leaves and petioles under very mild extraction conditions which closely simulate those occurring duringmastication. By means of enzyme inhibitors it was shown that these components were present as such in the intact leaf tissue rather than in the form of an enzyme-non-volatile precursor system as in Allium species and the Cruciferae. The only sulphur-containing compound was methyl disulphide. The characteristic flavour and odour are due to the presence of monoterpene hydrocarbons.

Characterization of essential oil of parsley

“…The major constituents of the parsley accessions evaluated were in agreement with previous reports indicating that 1,3,8-p-menthatriene, myristicin, apiol, j8-phellandrene, myreene, and 4-isopropyl-1-methylbenzene were among the most prevalent constituents in parsley leaf oil (Camero and Chretien-Bessiere, 1968; Freeman et al, 1975;Hasting et al, 1972;MacLeod et al, 1985). This is the first report of thymol and the molecular weight 268 dimer in parsley leaf oil.…”

“…Carnero and Chretien-Bessiere (1968) first suggested that 1,3,8-p-menthatriene was important for the odor of parsley leaves, and Hasting et al (1972) later added ß-phellandrene and the unseparated terpinolene and 4-isopropenyl-l-methylbenzene to this category. Freeman et al (1975) separated the latter two constituents and suggested 4-isopropenyl-l-methylbenzene as being responsible for parsley leaf aroma. In contrast, Vernon and Richard (1983) claimed /3-phellandrene, 1,3,8-p-menthatriene, and myristicin were not characteristic of parsley aroma.…”

The effect of sowing date and growth stage on the essential oil composition of three types of parsley (Petroselinum crispum)

“…The first three of these compounds, together with apiole and 1-methyl-4-isopropenylbenzene, formed the main constituents of the essential oil of a desert parsley, 4 whereas β-phellandrene, 1,3,8-p-menthatriene, α-pdimethylstyrene (p-cymenene) and terpinolene constituted the primary components of the plain leaf type. 5 Although the distillation technique was shown to affect the essential oil composition of plain leaf parsley, 6 sniff tests showed that 1,3,8-p-menthatriene was responsible for the characteristic parsley aroma.…”

Productivity and nutritional value of dill and parsley

“…Investigations of dill and parsley drying were carried out in Estonia (Orav et al 2003;Vokk et al 2011). Amount and composition of essential oils are often discussed, as well (Freeman et al 1975;Pino et al 1995;Callan et al 2007). The influence of fertilization with nitrogen and phosphorus, different sowing time and row spacing for accumulation of essential oils were determined (Singh et al 1987).…”