Analysis of Black Mulberry Volatiles Using GCxGC-TOF/MS

Volatile constituents of black mulberry (Morus nigra) dried with various commercially used techniques (sun, hot air, and microwaves) were obtained by direct thermal desorption and analysed using comprehensive GCxGC coupled with time of flight mass spectrometry (TOF/MS). Some mulberries were dried using only a desiccator and the volatile desorbed from these was used for comparison. The number of components of volatile fractions obtained for the desiccator, sun, microwave and hot air dried samples were 45, 43, 41, and 40, respectively. Acetic acid (8.18%), ethyl linolenate (7.43%), hexanol (5.42%), 3-methylbutanal (5.01%), 2,3-butanediol (4.93%), 3-hydroxy-2-butanone (4.82%), and 2,3-pentanedione (4.18%) were found to be the major components in the desiccator-dried samples. The profiles of the volatiles desorbed changed when other drying techniques (sun, hot air, and microwaves) were used. Isobutanal, pentanal, 1,2-propanediol, octane, and linalool acetate were found only in the desiccator-dried mulberry samples.