Comparison of Tomatillo and Tomato Volatile Compounds in the Headspace by Selected Ion Flow Tube Mass Spectrometry (SIFT‐MS)

The concentration of 31 volatiles were measured in the headspace of tomatillos using selected ion flow tube-mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS), and were compared with those in vine-ripened tomato, roma tomato, cherry tomato, and grape tomato. None of the volatiles were higher in the headspace of tomatillos than of tomatoes. Compounds (E)-2-octenal, (E)-2-pentenal, 2-isobutylthiazole, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, and phenylacetaldehyde were significantly lower in tomatillo than in the tomato varieties in the headspace. After blending, volatiles in the headspace increased, and then decreased after reaching a maximum concentration, due to further degradation or depletion. Compounds (E)-2-pentenal and 1-penten-3-one reached a maximum concentration later than (E)-2-hexenal, (Z)-3-hexenal, and hexanal for tomatillo and tomatoes. The slope of the ratio of (E)-2-hexenal and (Z)-3-hexenal was not significantly different for any of the samples, implying that the activity of cis/trans isomerase was not different between tomatillos and tomatoes.