EVALUATION OF SPICES AND OLEORESINS VII. GAS CHROMATOGRAPHIC EXAMINATION OF GINGEROL, SHOGAOL AND RELATED COMPOUNDS IN GINGER

Abstract

ABSTRACT The products of thermal degradation of gingerols, the pungent component of the spice ginger under gas chromatographic conditions have been re‐examined. Besides breakdown to zingerone and aldehydes, substantial dehydration of gingerols to shogaols has been established by improved gas chromatographic separation. The identity of the pungent and poorly pungent homologs have been clearly established as (6)‐ and (8)‐, and (10)‐gingerols/shogaols respectively. Programmed temperature gas chromatography combined with thin‐layer chromatographic separation has provided a method for determining the ratio of the homologs and a possible method for estimation of gingerols and shogaols in ginger oleoresin.