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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Food Processing and Sensory Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #148613
Title: COMPARISON OF TWO METHODS OF VOLATILE ANALYSIS FOR DETERMINING THE CAUSES OF OFF-ODORS IN WHITE BEET SUGARS--SPME AND HEADSPACE

Author
item MOORE, S.J. - SPRI
item GODSHALL, MARY A. - SPRI
item Grimm, Casey

Submitted to: International Sugar Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2003
Publication Date: 6/7/2003
Citation: Moore, S., Godshall, M., Grimm, C.C. 2003. COMPARISON OF TWO METHODS OF VOLATILE ANALYSIS FOR DETERMINING THE CAUSES OF OFF-ODORS IN WHITE BEET SUGARS--SPME AND HEADSPACE. International Sugar Journal. 105(1253):224-229.

Interpretive Summary: White beet sugars periodically have off-odors causing them to be rejected by customers. This study showed that concentration of short chain fatty acids increased the likelihood of rejection. Two different types of analytical analyses were performed and compared. This research will benefit sugar processors and researchers involved in volatiles analysis.

Technical Abstract: White beet sugars periodically have off-odors, causing them to be rejected by customers. An understanding of the nature and source of the compounds responsible will help in eventually eradicating the problems that cause them. However, determining volatile substances in white sugar is challenging because the amounts present are very small, often in the parts-per-million or even parts-per-billion range. In this study, we describe a set of white beet sugar samples that were received from several locations. Each sugar was given an over-all sensory rating of: 1 = acceptable; 2 = borderline; or 3 = reject, by a sensory panel. The samples were analyzed by two methods of volatile analysis. The two methods investigated were Solid-Phase Micro Extraction (SPME) and headspace analysis. Sample chromatograms were evaluated for compounds at mass to charge ratio (m/z) 60, where volatile fatty acids are found, with the exception of propionic acid. Representative chromatograms illustrating acceptable, borderline, and reject sugars are shown. It was found that samples in the acceptable and borderline categories appeared to have lower levels of the more volatile fatty acids than did the reject sugars. This was true for both SPME and Headspace. However, it was apparent that SPME was a better technique for volatile analysis.