Volatile odour components and sensory quality of fresh and processed mandarin juices

Abstract

Abstract Twelve volatile compounds were quantified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry in juices from two Spanish mandarin varieties, Fortuna and Clemenules. Fresh Clemenules juice contained a higher amount of total volatile compounds (61.1 ± 1.1 mg L −1 ) than fresh Fortuna juice (48.8 ± 2.5 mg L −1 ), with D ‐limonene (97.1%), myrcene (1.7%), sabinene (0.5%), α‐pinene (0.3%) and linalool (0.3%) being the predominant compounds. Pasteurisation of the mandarin juices (20 s at 98 °C) caused a significant reduction (∼12%) in vitamin C concentration. On the other hand, vitamin C was stable during storage of the juices for 60 days in aseptic tanks at 2 °C. Volatile compounds, however, were more affected by storage in aseptic refrigerated tanks (2 °C) than by heat treatment. Pasteurisation caused a mean decrease in the total concentration of volatile compounds of about 18%, while, after a storage time of 60 days, 36% of total volatiles present in the juices after pasteurisation were lost from both Fortuna and Clemenules juices. Significant reductions in the concentrations of D ‐limonene, myrcene, sabinene, α‐pinene and linalool were found, while those of α‐terpineol and terpinen‐4‐ol increased. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry