Comparison of Peel Components of Mandarin, Sour lemon and Sour orange (Citrus sp.)

Abstract

The peel components of Mandarin, Sour lemon and Sour orange were analyzed. Peel flavor<br />components were extracted using cold-press method and eluted using n-hexane. All compounds<br />were analyzed using GC-FID and GC-MS. Twenty-seven, Twenty-four and Twenty-nine peel<br />components were identified in Mandarin, Sour lemon and Sour orange respectively. They include<br />aldehydes, alcohols, esters, monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. The major flavor components<br />identified included limonene, β -myrcene, linalool, (E)-β-ocimene, α-Pinene, β-Pinene and<br />sabinene. Among the three species examined, Sour orange showed the highest aldehyde content.<br />Considering that aldehyde content of Citrus oil is an indicator of high quality, it seems that<br />Citrus species have a profound influence on oil quality.