Aroma dilution method using GC injector split ratio for volatile compounds extracted by headspace solid phase microextraction

Dilution methods are widely used for the screening of aroma-active compounds in gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O). An aroma dilution method for the samples extracted by headspace solid phase microextraction (HS–SPME) was developed using GC injector split ratio. In an aqueous model system containing seven authentic standards, the relationship between logarithmic peak area and logarithmic split ratio showed a high linearity as indicated by the good agreement between calculated and experimental data. This result suggests that the split ratio is a suitable and reliable tool for the successive dilution of volatiles in HS-SPME–GC-O. When this method was applied to yuzu (Citrus junos) tea, linalool (floral/lemon) and decanal (orange/waxy) were identified as the most intense aroma-active compounds.