Isolation and Identification of the Volatile Fatty Acids Present in Hickory Sawdust Smoke

Abstract

SUMMARY Acetic, propionic, butyric, isovaleric, n‐valeric, isocaproie, and n‐caproic acids were identified in hickory sawdust smoke by gas chromatography, and the relative amounts of each were determined. Formic acid could not be identified, because the flame ionization detector was not sensitive to this acid. A total of eight columns were evaluated, and three of these which gave best separation were used for identification by retention times as well as infrared spectrophotometry.

The flavor chemistry of wood smoke

“…Therefore, in general, flavor chemists currently conclude that the overall characteristic flavor of (18,22,33,36,48) Acetic (ethanoic) (4,6,12,16,18,22,24,25,29,32,33,36,37,39,43,48) Glycolic (hydroxyethanoic) (48) Propionic (propanoic) (4,6,12,16,18,20,22,24,29,32,33,36,37,43,48) Isobutyric (2-methylpropanoic) (4,18,20,29,32,33,37,48) Acrylic (propenoic) (48) Methacrylic (methylpropenoic) (20,48) Butyric (butanoic) (4,6,…”

The chemistry of smoked foods: a review

“…In hickory sawdust smoke volatile acids such as acetic, propionic, and butyric have been identified (Hamid & Saffle, 1965) and the functional groups of twenty low-boiling compounds established by subtractive chromatography (syringe reactions) and g.c. retention times (Hoff & Kapsalopoulou, 1964).…”

“…8 Hickory sawdust smoke (Hamid & Saffle, 1965 compositions of the components in whole woodsmoke (examined by direct injection into the gx.) and in the smoke condensate of the whole smoke (from solid CO, traps), (Doerr et al, 1966).…”

Composition of Hickory Sawdust Smoke. Furans and Phenols

“…studies have been made on the parameters of formation and the composition of smoke for the purpose of improvement in the quality of smoked meat and food products. Phenols have been reported primarily responsible for the smoky aroma and taste of food products (7,77) although other major classes-such as acids and carbonyls-have been identified in smoke (4,5,12,16).…”