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Chapter 12. Developing the Aromatic Quality of Cured Vanilla Beans (Vanilla planifolia G. Jackson)
Eric Odoux
COMPOSITION OF VOLATILE COMPOUNDS IN CURED VANILLA BEANS
The analysis of the volatile fraction of cured vanilla, which, paradoxically, has been the subject of little research, has made it possible to detect and identify over 150 molecules belonging to numerous chemical classes (Klimes and Lamparsky, 1976; Galetto and Hoffman, 1978; Schulte-Elte et al., 1978; Nakasawa et al., 1981; Vidal et al., 1989; Adedeji et al., 1993; Kiridena et al., 1994; Ramaroson-Raonizafinimanana et al., 1997; Werkhoff and Günter, 1997; Sostaric et al., 2000; Perez-Silva et al., 2006).
From a chemical viewpoint, these different compounds belong to the following classes: hydrocarbons, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, lactones, acids, terpenoids, heterocyclics, and phenols.
Among the hydrocarbons, a large number of alkanes have been identified (such as n-pentacosane), methylated and ethylated derivatives of these alkanes, alkenes (such as 1-hentriacontene), terpenoids (such as α-pinene or limonene), and aromatic rings (such as benzene and some of its derivatives) (Figure 12.1).
Aliphatic acids (such as acetic acid and linoleic acid) are also represented by a number of molecules, as well as aromatic acids (such as benzoic acid or cinnamic acid) (Figure 12.1).
FIGURE 12.1 Chemical structures of some volatile compounds from different chemical classes identified in cured vanilla beans.
Aliphatic esters and aromatic esters (such as linoleic acid ethyl ester or cinnamic acid methyl ester) are also found, and even terpene esters (such as acetic acid α-terpinyl ester) (Figure 12.1).
Aliphatic alcohols (such as 2,3-butanediol), aromatic alcohols (such as benzyl alcohol), and even terpenoids (such as linalol) have been identified (Figure 12.1).
Aliphatic aldehydes (such as 2-heptenal), terpene aldehydes (such as β-cycloci-tral), aliphatic ketones (such as 3-hydroxy-2-butanone), and aromatic ketones (such as acetophenone) are also present (Figure 12.1).
Several lactones have also been reported as being a component of the volatile fraction of vanilla (such as γ-butyrolactone), along with heterocyclics (such as furfural or cis-vitispirane) (Figure 12.1).
Finally, phenols, which are the major representatives (both qualitatively and quantitatively) of the volatile fraction of cured vanilla, and which may also bear the aldehyde functions (such as 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-benzaldehyde or vanillin), acid functions (such as 4-hydroxybenzoic acid), alcohol functions (such as 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol), and even ketone functions (such as acetovanillone) (Figure 12.1); numerous esters exist (such as salicylic acid methyl ester) as well as ethers (such as 4-hydroxy benzyl methyl ether) (Figure 12.1).
A fairly exhaustive list of the compounds identified in cured vanilla can be consulted in two recent review articles by Dignum et al. (2001) and Ranadive (2006).
This composition may vary according to the geographical origin (the concept of “terroir” in the broad sense) and botanical origin of the samples (Adedeji et al., 1993).