Changes of amygdalin and volatile components of apricot kernels during the ultrasonically-accelerated debitterizing

Ultrasound has been regarded as an efficient novel technique for debitterizing of the apricot kernels, but its influence is severely concerned on the possible epimerization of D-amygdalin to the L-amygdalin, a more potentially toxigenic compound. Considering this, the experiments were conducted to investigate the epimerization of D-amygdalin and the volatile components in the debitterizing water, which were separated and identified by the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography with a mass spectrometer (GCMS), respectively. The results indicate that the ultrasonically-debitterizing did not cause the epimerization of Damygdalin to the L-amygdalin, while the procedure can be greatly accelerated due to the rapid mass transfer and degradation of D-amygdalin induced by ultrasound irradiation. In addition, the water from the ultrasonically-debitterizing of apricot kernels exerted more aromas compared with that of the conventional debitterizing, which might have more applications about this kind of water. In a word, ultrasound can be safely applied in the debitterizing industry of apricot kernels.