Analysis of volatile compounds responsible for kiwifruit aroma by desiccated headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A new method for desiccated headspace (DHS) sampling of aqueous sample to GC-MS for the analysis of volatile compounds responsible for kiwifruit aroma in different kiwifruit cultivars has been developed based on the complete hydrate formation between the sample solvent (water) with anhydrous salt (calcium chloride) at an elevated temperature (above the boiling point of the aqueous sample) in a non-contact format, which overcame the water-effect challenge to directly introduce aqueous sample into GC-MS analysis. By means of DHS, the volatile compounds in three different kiwifruit cultivars were analyzed and compared under the optimized operating conditions, mainly time and temperature for headspace equilibration, column temperature program for GC-MS measurement. As a result, 20 peaks of volatile compounds responsible for kiwifruit aroma were detected and remarkable differences were found in the relative contents of three major volatile compounds among the three different kiwifruit cultivars, i.e., acetaldehyde, ethanol and furfural. The DHS sampling technique used in the present method can make the GC-MS analysis of volatile compounds in the aqueous sample within complex matrix possible without contaminating the GC-MS instrument. In terms of the analysis of volatile compounds in kiwifruit, the present method enabled a direct measurement on the filtrate of the aqueous kiwifruit pulp, without intermediate trap phase for the extraction of analytes, which will be more reliable and simpler as compared with any other headspace method in use. Thus, DHS coupled with GC-MS will be a new valuable tool available for the kiwifruit related research and organoleptic quality control.