Abstract

Different automated headspace microextraction techniques were employed prior to analysis with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for profiling volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Thai green curry paste: static headspace (SHS), headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME), and dynamic headspace (DHS) adsorption of VOCs onto Tenax materials with thermal desorption. By applying these methods, the number of VOCs identified by comparison with the MS and retention index (RI) database was in the order of DHS > SPME > SHS, with 36, 22, and 6 VOCs identified, respectively. This led to a total of 46 identified VOCs. In general, limonene and γ-terpinene were observed with all three extraction techniques. The major VOCs in the green curry were terpinen-4-ol, limonene, cuminaldehyde, and α-terpineol. These findings provide an improved understanding of automated extraction processes for the analysis of VOCs in curry pastes and other food samples in the future.

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