Cabbage flavour compounds

Key flavour compounds Broccoli Brussel Cabbage Cauli-... 

Volatile sulphur compounds are natural compounds in foods and could be formed during heat processing and storage (Maga et al., 1973). Formation of these compounds has been reported in blanched peas (Jakobsen et al., 1998). Sulphur compounds contribute to the overall flavour and aroma of foods (Jakobsen et al, 1998). For example, dimethyl disulfide, one of the major sulphur containing compounds identified, has a diffuse, intense onion odour. Dimethyl sulfide, on the other hand, has an intense, cabbage odour (Burdock, 2002). 

One promising approach might be the application of defined starter cultures that are capable of growing rapidly and that are highly competitive in the environmental conditions under which the product is kept Therefore, numerous attempts have made especially to ferment cabbage to sauerkraut, but also to ferment cucumbers and olives by defined starter cultures. Especially in the case of sauerkraut, most of the experiments performed with pure cultures or mixtures of pure cultures led indeed to the desired uniform, sufficient and rapid acidification of the products. But they lacked the typical rounded sauerkraut flavour, which essentially is due to the lack of certain fermentation by-products or the insufficient decomposition of compounds characteristic for the respective raw material (Kandler, 1981). Sauerkraut with perfect sensorial characteristics was obtained with selected strains of L. mesenteroides, which simultaneously improved the uniformity of sauerkraut from different batches. However, even in this case, so far no such benefits could be achieved compared to spontaneous fermentation that would economically justify the cost of the production of starter cultures (Buckenhueskes Hammes, 1990). 

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