VOLATILE COMPOUNDS PRODUCED BY BROCCOLI UNDER ANAEROBIC CONDITIONS

Severe off-odors are produced by broccoli (Brassica oleracea L., Italica Group) when it is held under anaerobic conditions, which can develop in modified atmosphere packages. The compounds responsible for these off-odors, which render the broccoli unmarketable, were collected using headspace sampling and identified using GC-FPD and GC-MS. Broccoli florets were held in sealed jars at 15 or 20-degrees-C in which the O2 Concentration dropped to around 0.5%. Volatile compounds detected were identified as ethanol, methanethiol, hydrogen sulfide, ethyl acetate, dimethyl disulfide, dimethyl sulfide, acetaldehyde, methyl acetate, and acetone. Methanethiol was one of the first compounds formed under anaerobic conditions and appears to be primarily responsible for the objectionable odor.