title: Volatile components of whole and different plant parts of bastard balm (Melittis melissophyllum L., Lamiaceae) collected in Central Italy and Slovakia.
abstract: The aim of this work was to trap the volatiles released from whole frozen and dry aerial parts, and, separately, from different organs (leaves, stems, corolla and calyx) of bastard balm (Melittis melissophyllum L., Lamiaceae) populations collected in Italy and Slovakia by HS-SPME, and to identify the headspace constituents responsible for the characteristic aroma impression by GC/FID and GC/MS techniques. Among more than 100 volatile components detected, the C(8)  alcohol oct-1-en-3-ol, responsible for the typical mushroom-like odor, and the phenolic coumarin, with a characteristic sweet and creamy vanilla bean odor, played a major role in the aroma of whole aerial parts and different plant organ samples. In particular, dry calyx parts could be proposed as flavoring agent in food products as mushroom aroma enhancer. Multivariate chemometric techniques, such as cluster analysis and principal component analysis, were used to characterize the sample populations according to the geographical origin and processing of plant material.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Camerino. filippo.maggi@unicam.it
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Maggi
authors.forename: Pavol
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mártonfi
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cristalli
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Papa
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sagratini
authors.forename: Sauro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vittori
mesh_terms: D016000:Cluster Analysis; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D007558:Italy; D019686:Lamiaceae / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009812:Odorants; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D018154:Slovakia; D052617:Solid Phase Microextraction; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010938:Plant Oils