Characterization of Odor-Active Compounds in Aromatic Caramel by GC-Olfactometry and GC-Mass Spectrometry

The aim of this study was to characterize odor-active compounds and sensory properties of four aromatic caramels. The volatile fraction was isolated by solvent assisted flavor evaporation (SAFE) and analyzed by GC/MS and GC/O with the detection frequency method. Furthermore, descriptive sensory profiles were performed with a panel of 10 trained assessors. Of the 77 odorant areas detected (detection frequency≥33%), 40 were associated to identified molecules. GC/O data were correlated to sensory attributes by partial least squares regression (PLSR). Oxygenated heterocycles, cyclopentenone derivatives, and carboxylic acids appeared as the most important contributors in caramel aroma.