Study of essential oil components in different origanum species by GC and sensory analysis

Novák, I. and Zámbori-Németh, É. and Horváth, H. and Seregély, Zs. and Kaffka, K. (2003) Study of essential oil components in different origanum species by GC and sensory analysis. Acta Alimentaria, 32 (2). pp. 141-150. ISSN 0139-3006

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Abstract

Oregano is used worldwide both as spice and crude drug, which is mainly provided by species of Origanum genus. The quality of the product is usually determined by chemical analysis, whereas in food industrial applications sensory tests are also practised. The aim of the present study was a comparison of parallel quality investigations of oregano samples by a new and effective instrumental sensory evaluation method, the “electronic nose”, and by gas-chromatographic and human sensory analysis. The GC analysis of essential oil components revealed mainly differences between plant species (Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum and Origanum majorana). Main components of the oil of the former taxon are carvacrol and thymol, while those of marjoram are terpinene-4-ol, ?-terpinene and terpinolene. A wholesale oregano sample showing considerable divergence from the other ones with respect to ratios of carvacrol, ß-caryophyllene ß-cubebene and thymol. It was assumed not to belong to ssp. hirtum. The electronic nose analysis, evaluated by PCA, proved to be an appropriate, rapid, non-destructive, reagent-less method for the reliable separation of all of the oregano samples based on their complex aroma features. Assumptions could be made about correlations between separation of samples by the instrumental sensors and proportions of terpenoid compounds of the oil established by GC in some cases only. The varying essential oil content of the samples did not influence the success of instrumental evaluation. The instrumental and human sensory analysis showed similar results: varieties of O. majorana could be well distinguished on the basis of their complex aroma, while their gas-chromatograms did not show characteristic differences. The results call the attention that quality evaluation of drug items of aromatic plants should be oriented in different directions, considering the current utilisation area of the items. 

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