Basil dried, aroma

Guth, H., Murgoci, A.-M. (1997) Identification of the key odorants of basil (ocimum basilicum L.). Effect of different drying procedures on the overall flavour. In Kruse, H.-R, Rothe, M. (eds.) Elavour Rerception. Aroma Evaluation. University Rotsdam, pp. 233-242... 

Drying damages the aroma considerably. (Z)-Hexenal and 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one are still detectable in freeze-dried basil (Table 22.7) and the green/fresh note is still perceptible. This note is absent in an air-dried sample, and the increase in linalool (Table 22.7), possibly through the enzymatic hydrolysis of the corresponding glycosides, causes the flowery... 

Black pepper (shown in the photo as the fruit before drying) owes its characteristic aroma to the presence of the sesquiterpene (Section 4-7) rotundone, a bicyclic a,/3-unsaturated ketone. Rotundone is also present in basil, oregano, and thyme, and imparts a peppery aroma to some red wines. A possible synthesis of rotundone making use of the intramolecular aldol condensation is the subject of Problem 46. 

A major contrbutor to the flavor of basil is methyl chavicol, which provides tealike, green, hay, and minty notes (10). In Italian-spice dishes, basil is complemented by oregano, of which carvacrol is a character impact aroma. Thyme is the dried leaves of Thymus vulgaris, a perennial of the mint family, for which thymol provides a warm, pungent, sweetly herbal note. In a classic example of the effect of chiral isomers on flavor character, (S)-(+)-carvone imparts caraway flavor, whereas (R)-(-)-carvone provides spearmint flavor (11). 

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