Analytical comparison and sensory representativity of SAFE, SPME, and Purge and Trap extracts of volatile compounds from pea flour

Pisum sativum is of great economic and nutritional interest due to its protein content. Nevertheless, pea products are underused as a protein source in human food because of their strong beany flavour. Therefore, the objective of this study was to select an efficient and representative method to extract volatile molecules of pea flour. In the first step, three extraction methods were chosen: solid phase micro extraction (SPME); Purge and Trap extraction and solvent assisted flavour evaporation (SAFE). The corresponding extracts were analysed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. In the second step, the sensory representativity of the extracts was assessed either by direct gas chromatography–olfactometry for SPME and for Purge and Trap extracts, or by sniffing for the aqueous SAFE extract. It appeared that SAFE extraction was the most suitable method because of its good extraction capacities and its high sensory representativity of the global odour of pea flour.