Effect of ultra high pressure treatment on flavor compounds in apricot juice

In order to investigate the effect of ultra high pressure (UHP) treatment on the flavor compounds of apricot juice, the prepared apricot (Armeniaea Vulgaris L.) juice was subjected to UHP treatment (500 MPa, 25℃, 20 min). The volatile flavor compounds of apricot juice were isolated by Solid-Phase Microextraction (SPME) and analyzed by capillary Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The relative contents of flavor compounds were determined by area normalizing method. The results showed that the mass fraction of main aromatic compounds were increased obviously after UHP treatment. The contents of hexanal 2-hexenal, furfural, hexanol, leaf alcohol, linalool, nerol, β-phenylethanol increased and the increasing ratios of which reached 68.14%, 95.26%, 46.76%, 61.11%, 58.56%, 35.75%, 37.75% and 42.30% respectively. The contents of esters and lactones were decreased in UHP treated apricot juice, and the contents of ketones were basically unchanged, comparing with the sample before UHP treatment. The sensory results demonstrated that UHP process could increase the green notes and reserve the characteristic aroma of apricot juice, both of which matched well with the flavor analysis results of the apricot juice. So UHP treatment is a potential cold-working technique for apricot fruit processing.