Characterization of the Aroma-Active Compounds in Commercial Fragrant Rapeseed Oils via Monolithic Material Sorptive Extraction

Commercial fragrant rapeseed oil (CFRO), from roasted and hot-pressed seeds, is enjoyed in China for its unique aroma. However, the characteristic of aroma-active compounds in CFRO is still unclear. In this study, a new odor monolithic material sorptive extraction method was established to trap volatiles from rapeseed oil. Thirty CFROs were investigated using this method coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. A total of 29 volatile compounds were identified by gas chromatography–olfactometry including pyrazines, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and sulfur compounds. Further, 2,5-dimethylpyrazine (peanut-like), 3-ethyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazine (roasted nut-like), dimethyl trisulfide (cabbage-like), 4-isothiocyanato-1-butene (pungent and pickle-like), butyrolactone (caramel-like), and benzyl nitrile (pungent and sulfur-like) are affirmed as the key odorants for the overall aroma of CFRO, owing to their odor activity values ≥1. This work provides a new insight on acquiring aroma-active compounds from rapeseed oil in a more time-effective process compared to conventional methods. Futhermore, this novel approach is applicable in the field of food flavor.