Volatiles of apples (var. ‘Schone van Boskoop’): isolation and identification

Summary A simple method for the analysis of apple volatiles has been developed. By means of a modified vacuum‐cold trap distillation an aqueous solution of volatiles, ready for direct GLC‐analysis, is obtained. Formation of artefacts (e.g. volatile aldehydes) during homogenization of the apple tissue was prevented by addition of trichloroacetic acid. About fifteen volatiles of the apple variety ‘Schone van Boskoop’ have been identified and quantified. More than 85% of the total volatile fraction are alcohols. The recovery for the different volatiles ranged from 60 to 95% depending on the nature of the compounds. In a dichloromethane extract of the distillate a few minor compounds, mostly esters, were identified by mass spectrometric analysis.