Abstract
In this study, we report a comparative analysis of the changes in the aroma characteristics of sweet potato, after boiling and saccharification during sweet potato juice production, using sensory and instrumental methods. Although the raw sweet potato sample possessed a grassy-carrot aroma, the boiled saccharified sample showed a distinct heavily boiled-sweet aroma. Furthermore, 26 and 42 flavor compounds were identified in the raw sweet potato juice and boiled saccharified samples respectively, by GC-MS. Although the raw sample showed higher levels of aldehydes, the boiled saccharified sample yielded a headspace rich in terpenoids, ketones, furans and aromatic aldehydes.Here we elucidate the mechanism of flavor compound formation and discuss the association of the identified volatiles and the characteristic aroma attributes of the boiled saccharified sweet potato.
