title: Qualitative determination of volatile compounds and quantitative evaluation of safranal and 4-hydroxy-2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexene-1-carboxaldehyde (HTCC) in Greek saffron.
abstract: Safranal (2,6,6-trimethyl-1,3-cyclohexadiene-1-carboxaldehyde) is the main component of saffron's essential oil. It was obtained using microsimultaneous hydro distillation-extraction (MSDE) and by ultrasound-assisted extraction (USE), which is a mild method. 4-Hydroxy-2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexene-1-carboxaldehyde (HTCC) is a precursor of safranal and was obtained in considerable amounts only by USE. Five C(13)-norisoprenoids were found in saffron for the first time. Using a gas chromatography technique, safranal and HTCC were quantified from Greek saffron samples. The quantity of safranal isolated by MSDE ranged between 288.1 and 687.9 mg/100 g of saffron, whereas in the case of USE safranal and HTCC ranged between 40.7 and 647.7 mg/100 g of saffron and between 41.7 and 397.7 mg/100 g of saffron, respectively. Freeze-drying was also tested as an alternative drying method. Over years of storage at 4 degrees C the quantity of safranal remained mostly constant while the quantity of HTCC decreased over the same periods.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Chemistry, Department of Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos, 118 55 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Charalabos D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Kanakis
authors.forename: Dimitra J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Daferera
authors.forename: Petros A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Tarantilis
authors.forename: Moschos G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Polissiou
mesh_terms: D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D027622:Crocus / Q000737:chemistry*; D003510:Cyclohexanes / Q000032:analysis*; D053138:Cyclohexenes; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006115:Greece; D013729:Terpenes / Q000032:analysis*; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D003510:Cyclohexanes; D053138:Cyclohexenes; D013729:Terpenes; C413286:aglycone 4-hydroxy-2,6,6-trimethyl-1-carboxyaldehyde-1-cyclohexene; C087963:safranal