A new approach to studying sponge cake aroma after storage in treated paper and plastic packaging by direct gas chromatography–olfactometry (D-GC–O)

The objective of this study was to use D-GC–O to compare the global odour of a sponge cake flavoured with either a ‘viennoiserie’ aromatic note or a simplified mixture of aroma compounds (used for physicochemical studies), then stored in a glass packaging (inert and impermeable) or in pouches made with treated papers or with plastic packaging, in accelerated ageing conditions (high temperature and relative humidity gradient). After 1 week of storage, the flavoured sponge cake headspace was SPME-extracted directly into the packaging and analysed by D-GC–O. The sponge cake global odour was better retained if plastic film rather than treated-papers was used, for both flavourings. Changes in the relative proportions of aroma compounds in the sponge cake during storage modified the perceived global odour. This was due to their modified retention in the sponge cake and to their transfer through the packaging. SPME coupled to D-GC–O was confirmed to be a rapid and sensitive method for comparing the aroma compound barrier properties of various packaging films with flavouring mixtures at concentrations close to reality. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.