Volatile constituents and key odorants in leaves, buds, flowers, and fruits of Laurus nobilis L

The volatiles of fresh leaves, buds, flowers, and fruits from bay (Laurus nolilis L.) were isolated by solvent extraction and analyzed by capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Their odor quality was characterized by gas chomatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry (HRGC-O-MS) and aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA). In fresh bay leaves 1,8-cineole was the major component, together with alpha-terpinyl acetate, sabinene, alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, beta-elemene, alpha-terpineol, linalool, and eugenol. Besides 1,8-cineole and the pinenes, the main components in flowers were alpha-eudesmol, beta-elemene, and beta-caryophyllene, in fruits (E)-beta-ocimene and biclyclogermacrene, and in buds (E)-beta-ocimene and germacrene D. The aliphatic ocimenes and farnesenes were absent in leaves. By using HRGC-O-MS 21 odor compounds were identified in fresh leaves. Application of AEDA revealed (Z)-3-hexenal (fresh green), 1,8-cineole (eucalyptus), linalool (flowery), eugenol (clove), (E)-isoeugenol (flowery), and an unidentified compound (black pepper) with the highest flavor dilution factors. Differences between buds, flowers, fruits, and leaves with regard to the identified odor compounds are presented.