Isolation, Identification and Comparison of the Volatiles of Peach Fruit as Related to Harvest Maturity and Artificial Ripening

Abstract

SUMMARY: Volatiles of peach (Prunus persica L., cultivar, Gleason Early Elberta) fruit were studied by gas‐liquid chromatography, thin‐layer chromatography and infrared spectrometry. Chromatograms of the volatiles of hard‐mature, firm‐mature, soft‐mature, tree‐ripe and artificially ripened, hard‐mature fruit were obtained with temperature programing and flame ionization detection. The volatile concentrates of tree‐ripe peaches produced 86 peaks. The major peaks were isolated and the infrared spectra determined and compared with authentic compounds. In general, concentrations of volatile components increased with advancing maturity. The main volatile components were identified as gamma‐ and delta‐lactones, esters, aldehydes, benzyl alcohol and d‐limonene. The highest total lactone concentration occurred in tree‐ripe peaches and was more than four times that of firm‐mature fruit. Gamma‐decalactone predominated among the lactones in tree‐ripe peaches. Artificially ripened peaches had very small amounts of gamma‐decalactone and lacked gamma‐ and delta‐dodecalactone, with a total lactone concentration abouf one‐fifth that of free‐ripe fruit. Concentrations of esters in artificially ripened fruit reached only one‐third to one‐half those of tree‐ripe peaches. Benzaldehyde was the predominant volatile in tree‐ripe peaches and occurred in five times the concentration found in artificially ripened fruit. These may be the determining factors relative to the inferiority of artificially ripened as compared to free‐ripened fruits.

Volatile characteristics of 50 peaches and nectarines evaluated by HP–SPME with GC–MS

“…The composition and content of volatile aromas change during the maturation. In immature fruits, C 6 compounds are the major contributors, but their levels decrease drastically whilst those of lactones, benzaldehyde and linalool increase significantly during maturation (Do et al, 1969;Engel et al, 1988b). Several studies have also investigated the effect of culture techniques and management on composition and content of volatiles.…”

“…The relative contributions of specific aroma volatile compounds to the flavour of peaches and nectarines have been examined by many investigators and more than 100 compounds have been identified (Aubert, Günata, Ambid, & Baumes, 2003;Aubert & Milhet, 2007;Chapman, Horvat, & Forbus, 1991;Derail, Hofmann, & Schieberle, 1999;Engel, Ramming, Flath, & Teranashi, 1988b;Jia, Okamoto, & Hirano, 2004;Kakiuchi & Ohmiya, 1991;Lavilla, Recasens, & Lopez, 2001;Robertson, Meredith, Horvat, & Senter, 1990a;Takeoka, Flath, Guntert, & Jennings, 1988). The volatiles of peaches and nectarines include C 6 compounds, alcohols, aldehydes, esters, terpenoids, ketones and lactones, among which the lactones, particularly c-and d-decalactones, have been reported to be the major contributors to peach aroma with smaller contributions by other volatiles such as C 6 aldehydes, alcohols and terpenoids (Do, Salunkhe, & Olson, 1969;Engel et al 1988a;Horvat et al 1990b;Visai & Vanoli, 1997).…”

“…Intensive investigations have focused on the evolution of peach and nectarine aromas during ripening (Chapman et al, 1991;Do et al, 1969;Horvat & Chapman, 1990a;Kakiuchi & Ohmiya, 1991;Lavilla et al, 2001;Visai & Vanoli, 1997) and during cold storage (Robertson et al, 1990a;Watada, Anderson, & Aulenbach, 1979). The composition and content of volatile aromas change during the maturation.…”

A Review on Peach (Prunus persica): An Asset of Medicinal Phytochemicals

“…The most abundant compound is c 6 compound, linalool, benzaldehyde, ester terpinoids, c 13 norisoprenoids, ketones and lactones [90], [91]. The flowering properties derive from lactones and particularly γ & δ-decalactones, with smaller contributions from C 6 aldehydes, alcohols, terpinoids [92], [93], [94]. The chemical composition of the volatile compound varies in the different part of the fruit.…”

Comportamiento postcosecha de variedades de caqui y de nuevas variedades de fruta de hueso de interés comercial

“…Durante el almacenamiento se observó un ligero aumento de estos compuestos volátiles como consecuencia del proceso propio de maduración y senescencia (Do et al, 1969;Robertson et al, 1990), siendo más importante el aumento del nivel de etanol que el del acetaldehído. La variedad de albaricoque Llíria, en una de las campañas estudiadas, fue la que presentó mayores valores de etanol, tanto en el momento de recolección (30 mg/100 ml) como tras los distintos periodos de almacenamiento estudiados (≈ 200 mg/100 ml).…”