Varietal differences in terpene composition of blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L) berries by solid phase microextraction/gas chromatography

Relative amounts of volatile terpenes in berries of 10 different blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L) cultivars were examined by solid phase microextraction/gas chromatography (SPME/GC). The optimisation of a variety of parameters affecting SPME enabled relative standard deviations from three replicates ranging from 2 to 12% to be achieved. Differences between cultivars in the proportions rather than in the qualitative composition of volatile terpenes were found, and the proportions of some terpenes were especially variable. Furthermore, the enantiomeric ratios of the chiral terpenes were determined for the first time in blackcurrant berries by GC using a column with a stationary phase containing permethylated cyclodextrin (Chirasil-β-Dex). The enantiomeric compositions of the majority of the chiral terpenes varied within a reasonably narrow range. However, the levels of two monoterpene alcohols, terpinen-4-ol and linalool, exhibited considerable variations amongst cultivars.