Discovery of New Lactones in Sweet Cream Butter Oil

Abstract

Sweet cream butter oil was analyzed to identify new volatile compounds that may contribute to its flavor, with an emphasis on lactones. The volatile part of butter oil was obtained by using short-path distillation. As some previously unknown lactones were detected in this first extract, it was fractionated further. The fatty acids were removed, and the extract was fractionated by flash chromatography. Three lactonic fractions possessing a creamy, buttery, and fatty character were investigated in depth by gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry (MS) (EI and CI) and high-resolution GC-time-of-flight MS. Many lactones were identified by their mass fragmentation and by comparison with reference materials synthesized during this work. Six γ-lactones, five δ-lactones, and one ε-lactone were identified for the first time in butter oil, seven of them for the first time in a natural product. The possible contribution of these new lactones to the aroma of butter oil is briefly discussed.

Volatile compounds, chemical and sensory properties of butters sold in Çanakkale

“…The other important contributors of volatiles in butter were lactones formed by hydrolysis and cyclisation of hydroxy-fatty acid triglycerides (Nursten 1997;Sarrazin et al 2011). δ-caprolactone, δ-octalactone and δ-decalactone were identified in butter samples (Table 3).…”

Changes in Maillard reaction products in ghee during storage

“…Compounds that have typically (Sarrazin, Frerot, Bagnoud, Aeberhardt, & Rubin, 2011;Wadodkar et al, 2002) been found in milkfat (associated with fat degradation via oxidation and lipolysis) are shown on the left side of Fig. 3.…”

Simple Quantification of Lactones in Milk Fat by Solvent Extraction Using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

“…As an alternative, short-path distillation was applied to butter oil and some new lactones were identified 23 .…”