Odor-contributing volatile compounds of a new Brazilian tabasco pepper cultivar analyzed by HS-SPME-GC-MS and HS-SPME-GC-O/FID

Abstract The cultivar BRS Avai was originated from recurrent phenotypic selection in the original American cultivar Tabasco Macllhenny™, used in the worldly famous Tabasco pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.) sauce. The determination of the aroma profile of this new cultivar could reveal important qualitative descriptors that will help in future crosses and in the improvement of the desirable characteristics. Headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-olfactometry techniques were used to analyze the volatile compounds from a new Brazilian cultivar, estimating the most powerful odor-active compounds. In the volatile fraction of BRS Avai pepper, esters were the predominant chemical class and major compounds were isohexyl and hexyl esters. Thirty-five odorants were detected and sixteen were considered as having moderate to high intensity, with hexyl 2-methylbutanoate, α-pinene, hexyl butanoate and hexyl 3-methylbutanoate contributing the most to the typical sweet, herbal and pepper-like aroma of this cultivar.