title: Development of rancidity in wheat germ analyzed by headspace gas chromatography and sensory analysis.
abstract: Wheat germ is susceptible to oxidation due to its high content of unsaturated oil. Volatile compounds in stored wheat germ were evaluated using dynamic headspace gas chromatography (HS-GC) and sensory analysis. Preliminary comparisons were also made between freshly prepared wheat germ and wheat germ subjected to microwave heating at 45 and 55 degrees C prior to storage at room temperature. The progress of oxidation was followed in untreated wheat germ for 4 weeks and in heat-treated wheat germ for 7 weeks by HS-GC and sensory evaluation. Significant (p < 0.05) changes in rancid odor and flavor were observed in the untreated wheat germ after 3 weeks, whereas no corresponding difference was observed in the microwave-heated wheat germ after 7 weeks of storage. Identification of a total of 36 volatile compounds was performed according to their mass spectra and Kovats indices. The major volatiles were hexanal, alpha-pinene, 1-hexanol, and 3-carene. In addition to analysis of a short period of storage, 30 volatile compounds were identified from the headspace of wheat germ stored for >1 year.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Food Chemistry, University of Turku, Finland. olli.sjovall@utu.fi
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sjövall
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Virtalaine
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lapveteläinen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kallio
mesh_terms: D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009812:Odorants; D014908:Triticum / Q000737:chemistry*