Hexenal, -3-, formation, enzymatic

It should be stressed that it is a prerequisite of successful flavor precursor studies that the contribution of the odorant under investigation to a food flavor or off-flavor has been established. Sometimes the structure of a precursor can be assumed on the basis of structural elements in the odorant. In such cases, additions of the respective isotope-labelled precursor to the food system is commonly used to elucidate the precursor and to clarify reaction pathways governing the formation of the odorant. This method has been frequently applied, especially, in studies on the enzymatic generation of odor-active aldehydes (e.g., (Z)-3-hexenal in tea leaves) or alcohols (e.g., l-octen-3-oI in mushrooms) [cf. reviews in 84, 85] as well as lactones [86] from unsaturated fatty acids. 

Figure 7, Scheme for VOC formation from leaf fatty acids following wounding. The enzymatic origins of hexanal and hexenal family VOCs are shown, and the unique or major positive ions detected by PTR-MS are indicated in parentheses for many of these VOCs. Abbreviations ADH, alcohol dehydrogenase AT, acetyl transferase IF, isomerization factor. Reprinted with permission of the American Geophysical Union from Ref. [66]. 

In addition to the enzymatic pathway of aroma formation, a thermal route also exists. At high temperatures, interactions of amino acids and sngars resnlt in the formation of various aldehydes. After thermal treatment, the tea becomes more tasty and pleasant, and has a better aroma. An essential source of secondary volatiles, formed during tea leaf processing, is oxidative. o-Quinone resulting from the oxidation of catechins can oxidize, besides amino acids and carotenes, unsaturated fatty acids as well. Linoleic and linolenic acids can be converted into hexenal and trans-hex-2-enal, respectively, and in addition, small amounts of other volatile compounds, especially hexanoic acid and trani-hex-2-enoic acid, can be formed from the same acids, respectively. Also the monoterpene alcohols, linalool and geraniol, play an important role in the formation of the aroma of black tea [38]. 

Analogous products from linolenic acid are cf -3-hexenal (isomerizing to frans-2-hexenal) andEnzymatic formation of aldehydic fragments from linoleic acid. 

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