Abstract
Introduction
The flavor of Szechuan pepper plays an important role in Sichuan cuisine, where it is responsible for the tingling and numbing characteristic. The aims of this study were to characterize and identify aroma-active compounds of Szechuan pepper and to evaluate changes in flavor components between room and high temperature (ca. 70–80 °C).
Methods
Solvent-assisted flavor evaporation (SAFE) and headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) were used.
Results
In this study, linalool, linalyl acetate, and limonene were identified as the major components by both SAFE and HS-SPME. Seven compounds, namely myrcene, limonene, 1,8-cineole, linalool, 2-phenylethanol, 4-methylacetophenone, and trans-carveol, were identified as aroma-active compounds using GC-O. The most intense aroma-active compounds were 1,8-cineole and linalool. Moreover, 2-phenylethanol and 4-methylacetophenone were identified as aroma-active components for the first time in Szechuan pepper. The relative contents of 1,8-cineole, linalool, 2-phenylethanol, 4-methylacetophenone, and trans-carveol were significantly increased as simulated cooking temperature increased from 40 to 75 °C, whereas myrcene, limonene, and hexanal were significantly decreased; 1,8-cineole was not detected at 40 °C but was detected at 75 °C.
Conclusions
A total of 83 volatile compounds were identified, including 62 by SAFE and 57 by HS-SPME. Of these, 34 volatile compounds were identified by both SAFE and HS-SPME. For the first time, 2-phenylethanol and 4-methylacetophenone were identified as key aroma-active components in Szechuan pepper. The overall flavor of Szechuan pepper might be influenced by a result of the relative ratios of key aroma-active components. Cooking temperature should be taken into consideration when Szechuan pepper is used as an ingredient in food.
Implications
These results could be beneficial for furthering our understanding of aroma-active compounds in Szechuan pepper and improving dishes prepared with this ingredient.
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Funding
This study was funded by the Young Scientist Exchange Program between the Republic of Korea and the People’s Republic of China (2015), the Innovation Promotion in Ability Project (2016GXTZ-008, 2016QNJJ-020, 2017LWJJ-010), and the Youth Fund of Sichuan Province (2016JQ0048).
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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
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This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.
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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
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Highlights
SAFE and HS-SPME followed by GC-O were used to identify and evaluate the flavor changes in Szechuan pepper.
For the first time, 2-phenylethanol and 4-methylacetophenone were identified as key aroma-active components in Szechuan pepper.
The relative contents of 1,8-cineole, linalool, 2-phenylethanol, 4-methylacetophenone, and trans-carveol were significantly increased as cooking temperature increased from 40 to 75°C, whereas myrcene, limonene, and hexanal were significantly decreased.
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Li, Z., Jeon, J., Kwon, S.Y. et al. Characterization and Evaluation of Changes in the Aroma-Active Components in Szechuan Pepper (Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim) Under Different Cooking Temperatures Using Gas Chromatography-Olfactometry. Chem. Percept. 12, 32–39 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12078-018-9249-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12078-018-9249-7