The effect of salts on the retention of ethyl butyrate by gellan gels

The effect of gellan gels with different texture on the retention of ethyl butyrate was investigated by Static Headspace Gas Chromatography. Calcium induced gels enriched with 400 ppm of the volatile showed not significantly different aroma release for calcium concentrations up to 40 mM, whereas higher concentrations exhibited greater partition coefficient values not significantly different from each other. Aroma release was not controlled by the mechanical properties when 1000 ppm of ethyl butyrate was added. When mixtures of calcium and potassium chloride, at a total molar concentration of 80 mM, were used to induce gelation, aroma release became greater with increasing calcium concentration in the mixtures. Moreover, elevated concentrations of the aroma compound (400–1000 ppm) added to gellan matrices, gelled by 10 mM calcium chloride, resulted in increased aroma release. For all samples, the percentage of retention was also calculated and both positive and negative values were determined.