Abstract SCHIRACK, ANDRIANA VAIS. The Effect of Microwave ...

caused the increased intensity of burnt and stale/floral characteristics noted by the
descriptive sensory panel. These compounds were only a small fraction of over 200
aroma-active compounds which were found to contribute to roasted peanut flavor
using GC/O. Increased and unfavorable levels of these compounds may have been
formed through Maillard reactions and thermal degradation during the high
temperatures reached in microwave blanching. This research also confirmed the
importance of Maillard reaction and lipid oxidation compounds in the peanut flavor
profile. However, as the results show, even increased concentrations of compounds
which are commonly found in good quality peanuts can lead to an imbalance in the
flavor profile and cause the perception of an off-flavor.
This research has helped improve the peanut lexicon, and has further
characterized the extraction techniques best suited for the volatile analysis of
peanuts. The analysis of an off-flavor that was difficult to define was made possible
through the introduction of the total offnote term to the peanut lexicon, which was
used successfully to differentiate the effects of microwave treatments. Further
additions were made to the lexicon, such as the attribute “ashy”, which was
referenced by the aroma of cigarette ash. In instrumental analysis, solvent
extraction and SAFE were deemed more suitable than static headspace methods for
analysis of aroma-active peanut compounds generated during the high temperatures
in microwave blanching, indicating that compounds of higher molecular weight and
moderate volatility had the highest impact on flavor.
This research is important because it illustrates the importance of the relative
concentrations of the many aroma-active compounds found in peanuts. Although
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