Flavour profile of capers (Capparis spinosa L.) from the Eolian Archipelago by HS-SPME/GC–MS

This paper presents the first investigation of the flavour profile of capers (Capparis spinosa L.) from the Eolian Archipelago. In all, 145 volatile compounds were identified and quantified in capers, by HS-SPME/GC–MS analysis. Aldehydes (22.2%) and esters (21%) were the most abundant chemical classes; five sesquiterpenes and ten monoterpenes were identified for the first time; among sulphur compounds (8.42%), methyl-isothiocyanate was the major one, followed by benzyl-isothiocyanate. The application of this solvent-free extraction technique combined with the GC–MS analysis, showed its potential as a simple routine method for analyzing food flavour.