Aging mechanism of stored maize and the relationship between its volatile components and quality

In order to find out the relationships between the volatile components and storage quality parameters of maize, and investigate the aging mechanism of stored maize, the volatile components of maize from Chongqing Area with different storage time in same storage conditions were measured by the method of headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS). The physiological and biochemical indexes were also measured. The sorts and contents of volatile components, and their correlation with storage time, physiological and biochemical indexes of stored maize were analyzed respectively. The results show that the maize with different storage time produces the same volatile components, but the contents of the total and some single volatile components increase with the storage time elongation. Total volatile components, acetone, cyclohexadiene, cyclopentyl ethyne, acetic acid and hexanal contents show more significant correlation with storage time, physiological biochemical indexes respectively, and it can be used as an assessment index for the storage quality of stored maize. The volatile matters may be produced from the oxygenation and hydrolysis of lipids in stored maize.