Identification of Volatile Flavour Components of Tuber melanosporum Using Simultaneous Distillation-Extraction

Black truffles are famous for their unique flavours. Headspace solid-phase microextraction and the electronic nose have been used to analyse their flavours in some investigations. In a previous work, the volatile flavour compounds in black truffles harvested in China were extracted using simultaneous distillation-extraction (SDE) and analysed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Extraction conditions were optimised in that previous study and are now applied in the present work. The temperature of the solvent flask was maintained at 70 degrees C using a water bath and the samples were placed in boiling water; extraction time was 3 hours. Fifty-seven volatile flavour compounds were tentatively identified, including seven alcohols, two acids, six esters, 12 aldehydes, 14 ketones, two phenols, six pyrazines, six sulphur compounds and three other components. Aldehydes and ketones were present at the highest levels.