Comparison of HS-SPME with hydrodistillation and SFE for the analysis of the volatile compounds of Zisu and Baisu, two varietal species of Perilla frutescens of Chinese origin

Content and composition of the volatiles of Baisu and Zisu, two varieties of Perilla frutescens, obtained by SFE, HS-SPME, and hydrodistillation, were compared. A total of 64 compounds were identified by GC/MS. Perillaldehyde (21.9–58.1%) and perilla ketone (54.5–83.5%) were the main volatile components of Zisu and Baisu, respectively. They might be partly responsible for the aroma and taste of perilla. The abundance of perilla ketone indicates that it is not safe to use Baisu as vegetable, and Baisu should not be used as substitute for Zisu. SFE extracted oil with high yield, and extracted some high molecular-weight compounds that did not contribute to the aroma. The HS-SPME was simple and sensitive for the analysis of volatile compounds of fresh perilla. The results showed that the drying process influenced the volatile components of perilla.