Identification of<i>Allium</i>Products Using Flame Photometric Detection Gas Chromatography and Distribution Patterns of Volatile Sulfur Compounds

Abstract

An analytical method for the assignment of allium products to the species of Allium plants used for their preparation has been developed. It incorporates extraction by a Dean−Stark low-density liquid extractor followed by flame photometric detection gas chromatography and GC/MS. Distribution patterns of volatile sulfur compounds characterizing the origin of the products are evaluated by correlation, cluster analysis, and principal component analysis of the data. Products such as health foods have been identified as allium products by comparison with known Allium plants. The results indicate that the computerized GC analysis in this study can be used effectively in the identification of allium products. Keywords: Garlic; Allium sativum L. allium products; FPD-GC; volatile sulfur compounds; multivariate data analysis