ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses some developments in food aroma analysis from the chemist’s point of view. It focuses on qualitative aroma composition obtained by Gas Chromatography–Olfactometry (GC-O) and also discusses potential and limitations of the GC-O approach and comments made to allow a more realistic interpretation of data. The chapter addresses the overview to flavor scientists from both industry and academia. The corresponding volatiles are then characterized by their aroma quality and intensity as well as by their chromatographic properties, that is, retention index (RI). The RI increments, obtained on stationary phases with different polarities, provide additional information about the nature of the aroma-active component, such as functional groups. Enzymatic activity in natural products is another critical parameter that should be controlled during sample preparation. The conditions of extraction and concentration should be designed in such a way as to obtain a sample with an authentic aroma.
