Many volatile compounds can be identi®ed in unprinted paperboard by means of steam distillation in combination with capillary gas chromatography, mass spectrometry and olfactometry. Paperboards produced with recycled material exhibit additional volatiles which partly contribute to off-odours. Using snif®ng techniques, benzaldehyde, acetophenone, 1-octen-3-ol, 1-octen-3-one, 2-nonenal, methylguajacol, butanoic and 3-methyl butanoic acid were identi®ed as the most odorous volatiles. The aromatic substances mainly exude from inks and printing solvents in waste materials used for paperboard manufacturing. During storage under controlled conditions, the microbial load of paperboard decreased slightly, and no odorous metabolic products were generated.