Changes in the Key Odorants and Aroma Profiles of Hamlin and Valencia Orange Juices Not from Concentrate (NFC) during Chilled Storage

Application of the aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA) on the volatiles isolated by extraction/SAFE distillation from NFC (not from concentrate) juice from Hamlin oranges revealed 51 odor-active constituents in the flavor dilution (FD) factor range of 8 to 8192 among which vanillin, wine lactone, and (R)-linalool appeared with the highest FD factors. The AEDA applied on the volatile fraction of the same batch of juice stored at 0 °C for 10 months under aseptic conditions showed clear changes in the aroma profile as well as in the FD factors of key odorants. The reduction in the intensity of the citrus-like, pungent, green odor attributes in the aroma profile correlated with the loss of 1-penten-3-one, acetaldehyde, and (Z)-3-hexenal and a clear decrease in hexanal, octanal, nonanal, decanal, and (E,E)-2,4-decadienal. Quantitation done by stabile isotope dilution assays followed by a calculation of odor activity values (ratio of concentration to odor thresholds in citrate buffer) confirmed that the quick loss of 1-penten-3-one and acetaldehyde already within a few weeks and a significant reduction in nearly all aldehydes over the storage time of 10 months were responsible for the changes in the overall aroma profile of the juice. The same approach applied on Hamlin juice from the next harvest year as well as on chilled stored NFC juice from Valencia oranges confirmed the results for another harvest year and another orange variety.