Aroma analysis of fresh and preserved onions and leek by dual solid-phase microextraction–liquid extraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

The lachrymatory factor (thiopropanal-S-oxide) was directly analysed on fresh onion (Allium cepa) juice by solid-phase microextraction (polyacrylate fibre) using a fast routine GC–MS method on a 10 m×0.32 mm I.D. (4 μm thick polydimethylsiloxane film) column with splitless mode injection. The identification and quantification of thiosulphinates and zwiebelanes were obtained on the same juice extracted by diethyl ether after 80 min maceration using the same GC–MS method. Selected ion recording enhanced the differentiation possibilities and the detection limits. This dual method was used to evaluate flavour differences between onion and shallot varieties as it provides accurate profiles of all initially formed compounds. Moreover, this method allowed us to compare qualitatively and quantitatively transformed products: frozen, freeze-dried powders and sterilised products. Excepting the lachrymatory factor, frozen onion compounds were similar compared to those of fresh onion sample. Conversely, the other transformed samples have lost most of the initially formed compounds and produced mainly di- and trisulphides corresponding to the degradation of thiosulphinates and zwiebelanes. These dramatic changes can explain the very different flavours of these manufactured products compared to fresh material.