Studies on Flavor Components of Roasted Barley

Part III. The Major Volatile Basic Compounds

Abstract

Basic compounds in the volatiles of roasted barley were analyzed by a gas chromatograph and a combination instrument of gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer. As major components, the following nitrogeneous aromatic compounds were identified: pyridine, 2-methylpyrazine, 2, 5-dimethylpyrazine, 2-ethyl-5-methylpyrazine, 2, 3, 5-trimethylpyrazine and a dimethylethylpyrazine. Ammonia was also detected in the volatiles of roasted barley by an amino acid analyzer.
The formation of 2, 5-dimethylpyrazine from pyruvaldehyde-amino acid model systems during roasting was shown, and the possible formation mechanism of pyrazines was presented.