title: Can volatile organic compounds be markers of sea salt?
abstract: Sea salt is a handmade food product that is obtained by evaporation of seawater in saltpans. During the crystallisation process, organic compounds from surroundings can be incorporated into sea salt crystals. The aim of this study is to search for potential volatile markers of sea salt. Thus, sea salts from seven north-east Atlantic Ocean locations (France, Portugal, Continental Spain, Canary Islands, and Cape Verde) were analysed by headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry. A total of 165 compounds were detected, ranging from 32 to 71 compounds per salt. The volatile composition revealed the variability and individuality of each salt, and a set of ten compounds were detected in all samples. From these, seven are carotenoid-derived compounds that can be associated with the typical natural surroundings of ocean hypersaline environment. These ten compounds are proposed as potential volatile markers of sea salt.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, QOPNA, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, QOPNA, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Manuel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Coimbra
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, QOPNA, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: António S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, Monash University, Wellington Rd, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia.
authors.forename: Philip J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Marriott
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, QOPNA, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal. Electronic address: smrocha@ua.pt.
authors.forename: Sílvia M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Rocha
mesh_terms: D001267:Atlantic Ocean; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D005602:France; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011174:Portugal; D012492:Salts / Q000737:chemistry*; D052617:Solid Phase Microextraction / Q000379:methods; D013030:Spain; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D012492:Salts; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds
keywords: Food product; HS-SPME/GC×GC–ToFMS; Saltpan surrounding environment; Sea salt; Volatile markers