600. Further observations on the volatile compounds associated with oxidized flavour in skim milk

Effect of oxygen on the keeping quality of milk: I. Oxidized flavour development and oxygen uptake in milk in relation to oxygen availability

Oxidized flavour developed in whole milk only through the catalytic effect of either Cu or light. The O2 requirement for the 2 processes differed as did the characteristics of the off-flavours produced. Cu-induced oxidized flavour was described as ‘cardboardy’ and light-induced oxidized flavour was ‘painty’. Light-induced oxidized flavour increased in intensity with O2 loss, and could be prevented in stored milk by restricting access of O2. In UHT milk with a dissolved O2 content of 6·6 mg/1, and in the absence of access of further O2, light-induced oxidized flavour did not develop; similarly, O2 uptake of 7·5 mg/1 in in-bottle sterilized milk exposed to fluorescent light did not result in flavour formation. When light-induced oxidized flavour developed consistently in whole milk none developed in skim-milk, indicating the lipid source of the flavour. In contrast Cu-induced oxidized flavour development was not associated with high O2 uptake. Although nearly complete deoxygenation of whole pasteurized milk contaminated with Cu prevented the formation of the flavour, moderate deoxygenation resulted in even greater flavour intensity than non-deoxygenation. The 2 oxidized flavours also differed in relation to ascorbic acid (AA) oxidation. Light-induced oxidized flavour developed only after AA oxidation was complete, whereas Cu-induced flavour developed with AA still present. AA oxidation was greatly accelerated through the effects of both Cu and light. In milk free from Cu contamination and protected from light, after AA oxidation (plus SH group oxidation in the case of UHT milk) was complete, no further loss of O2 occurred, even during prolonged storage at 5°C, despite the presence of large O2 concentrations. However, at 20°C, a small consumption of O2 was measured, and this was associated with stale flavour.

Fishy flavour in dairy products: III. The volatile compounds associated with fishy flavour in washed cream

When washed cream was treated with copper and ascorbic acid and held at 2°C for 1–5 days a strong metallic, fish-oil flavour developed. Compounds responsible for the flavour were isolated and identified. Gas chromatographic separation of a flavour concentrate on a silicone oil column gave six characteristic flavour fractions which, in order of elution, were described as painty or drying oil, oily, mushroom, metallic, tallowy and cucumber. The flavours of all fractions were predominantly caused by carbonyl compounds and the oily and metallic fractions were the main contributors to the typical fish-oil flavour. The following compounds were characterized: n-pentanal and pent-2-enal in the painty fraction; n-hexanal, n-heptanal and hex-2-enal in the oily fraction; hept-2-enal and a carbonyl compound with a mushroom odour in the mushroom fraction; a carbonyl compound with a metallic odour in the metallic fraction; n-octanal, n-nonanal, oct-2-enal and hepta-2,4-dienal in the tallowy fraction; and non-2-enal in the cucumber fraction.