Characterization of 3,4-dihydroxy-3-hexen-2,5-dione as the first open-chain caramel-like smelling flavor compound

Wolfgang Engel, Thomas Hofmann, Peter Schieberle*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    14 Scopus citations

    Abstract

    3,4-Dihydroxy-3-hexen-2,5-dione (DHHD) was identified in a thermally treated mixture of cysteamine and fructose. GC/MS and 13C-NMR measurements revealed that its flavor activity is present only in the open chain form, while the cyclic species was shown to be completely odorless. The flavor quality of DHHD was similar to that of 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone (furaneol) and its odor threshold was determined to be 10 μg/l in sunflower oil. NMR measurements, however, showed that the odor-active open chain tautomer is present only in aprotic solvents, such as oils, while the cyclic, odorless tautomer (diacetylformoin) is immediately formed in aqueous solution.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)104-106
    Number of pages3
    JournalEuropean Food Research and Technology
    Volume213
    Issue number2
    DOIs
    StatePublished - 2001

    Keywords

    • 3,4-Dihydroxy-3-hexen-2,5-dione
    • Diacetylformoin

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Characterization of 3,4-dihydroxy-3-hexen-2,5-dione as the first open-chain caramel-like smelling flavor compound'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this