Chemical analysis of flavour volatiles in heat-treated milks

Abstract
Summary: The effect of heat treatment of milk on low molecular weight, volatile compounds was studied in order to relate changes in the flavour of milks to changes in chemical composition. Milks were heat treated in a UHT plant for 3 or 90 s at 140 °C and stored at ambient temperature for periods up to 112 d. Volatile compounds in raw milk and in heated milks were isolated by a low temperature spray distillation technique and identified using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Cabbagey defects in heated milks are correlated with total volatile sulphur and it is concluded that the compounds H2S, COS, CH3SH, CS2 and (CH3)2S could be responsible for this defect.