title: Volatile composition of peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) commercial teas through solid phase extraction.
abstract: Volatiles from aqueous extract of peppermint commercial sachets were investigated through gas chromatography/flame ionization detection (GC/FID) and GC/mass spectrometry (MS). Samples were prepared under similar conditions as in homemade tea. Volatiles were isolated using solid phase extraction method (SPE) with Porapak Q trap followed by desorption with acetone. Estimated mean values for short and medium chain carboxylic acids (C2-C12) and ketones lay in the range of 50-64 microg kg(-1) whilst aliphatic alcohols and acyclic hydrocarbons had values lower than 6 microg kg(-1). The major volatiles were terpenes (275-382 microg kg(-1)) that reached 89 % of the total composition. A total of 16 compounds, among them dodecane, acetoin, acetol, citral, geraniol and octanoic acid have been described by the first time in peppermint tea. These findings could be attributed to the different analytical approach employed, mainly to the use of different extraction/pre-concentration techniques. Given the apparently lower proportion of terpenes in the aqueous extract it may be that the chemical properties of the peppermint essential oil are not entirely reproduced with homemade tea.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Saúde Coletiva, Instituto Biomédico, UNIRIO, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Riachi
authors.forename: I E
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Abi-Zaid
authors.forename: R F A
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.forename: C A B
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: De Maria
mesh_terms: D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D005410:Flame Ionization; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D007659:Ketones / Q000032:analysis; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000592:standards; D036142:Mentha piperita / Q000737:chemistry*; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000032:analysis*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D052616:Solid Phase Extraction / Q000592:standards*; D013662:Tea / Q000737:chemistry*; D013729:Terpenes / Q000032:analysis; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D007659:Ketones; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013662:Tea; D013729:Terpenes; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds