Characterization of the Putrid Aroma Compounds of Ginkgo biloba Fruits

The Ginkgo family of trees is represented by a single surviving species, Ginkgo biloba. It is an ancient line unlike any other living conifer and may represent a link between the conifers and the tree-ferns. In the fall female trees produce yellow-orange fruits with a thick fleshy layer surrounding an edible kernel. The odor of these fruits is described as putrid. This study identified the odorous principles as high levels of butanoic and hexanoic acids.