Salicylaldehyde is a characteristic aroma component of buckwheat groats

Salicylaldehyde (2-hydroxybenzaldehyde) was identified as a characteristic component of buckwheat groats aroma by a sensory analysis guided fractionation of the extract. The extract with the strongest odour was prepared by petroleum ether extraction of water soaked groats. This extract was further extracted with sodium hydrogen carbonate solution and purified by a preparative layer chromatography and identified by NMR, MS and IR spectroscopy. A capillary electrophoresis method was developed and used to determine salicylaldehyde content in buckwheat groats and flour samples. Traditionally dehulled buckwheat grain, which had the strongest odour, contained the highest concentration (1.6 ppm) of salicylaldehyde with an odour activity value (OAV) of 216.