Heterocyclic volatiles formed by heating cysteine or hydrogen sulfide with 4-hydroxy-5-methyl-3(2H)-furanone at pH 6.5.
The reaction of 4-hydroxy-5-methyl-3(2H)-furanone (HMF) with cysteine or hydrogen sulfide at pH 6.5 for 60 min at 140 degrees C produced complex mixtures of volatile compounds, the majority of these containing either sulfur or nitrogen. Of the 68 compounds detected, 63 were identified, some tentatively, by GC-MS. Among the identified compounds were thiophenes (10), thiophenones (6), thienothiophenes (5), thiazoles (5), trithiolanes (4), pyrazines (6), and oxazoles (4). More compounds were produced in the reaction of HMF with cysteine (63) than were formed in the reaction with hydrogen sulfide (33). In both systems, thiophenones were major reaction products, accounting for 25-36% of the total volatiles formed. Possible reasons for the differences in the composition of the two systems are discussed. The contributions of these reactions, and their products, to the flavor of heated foods are considered.
Food Science Australia, P.O. Box 52, North Ryde, NSW 1670, Australia.
F B
FB
Whitfield
D S
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Mottram
D003545:Cysteine / Q000737:chemistry*; D005663:Furans / Q000737:chemistry*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D015394:Molecular Structure; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000737:chemistry
D005663:Furans; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds; D013876:Thiophenes; D003545:Cysteine; C113254:4-hydroxy-5-methyl-3(2H)-furanone; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide