Abstract
The components of the aroma from fresh and heat-cooked thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) were investigated. The aroma from fresh thyme contained α-thujene, α-pinene, camphene, β-myrcene, carene, limonene, γ-terpinene, cymene and carvophyllene as terpenes.1-octen-3-ol. linalool and borneol as alcohols and thvmol as phenol. A GCMS analysis showed that heating increased the thymol content and suggested that the temperature of heating affected the volatility of the aroma components, A GC-O analysis showed α-thujene and α-pinene to give the highest FD factors followed by linalool and borneol, and then by thymol in respect of the most potent aroma components in fresh thyme. The aroma of thyme was evaluated according to the component ratio and FD factor. A wood-like smell was typically produced from oven heating, a green leaf-like smell from microwave oven heating, and a sweeter, green leaf-like smell from vacuum heating.
