Pycnanthemum incanum, a species of wild mountain mint endemic to North America, has a pungent mint-like odor that has not been fully characterized. Due in part to its high terpene content, P. incanum has broad potential for health-promoting, cosmetic, culinary, and food flavoring applications. Therefore, odorants of P. incanum were identified by coupling solvent assisted flavor evaporation (SAFE) and aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA), which afforded 24 odorants including 14 odorants with flavor dilution (FD) factors ≥4. Selected odorants, including those with FD factors ≥16, were quantitated by stable isotope dilution assays (SIDAs), and odor activity values (OAVs) were determined. The odorants with the highest OAVs included β-ionone (floral, violet; OAV 300), myrcene (terpeny, OAV 120), linalool (floral, citrus; OAV 79), and pulegone (mint, medicinal; OAV 58). An odor-simulation model based on the quantitation closely matched the sensory attributes of the original P. incanum plant material. In addition, enantiomeric proportions of chiral odorants in P. incanum were determined by chiral chromatography.
Keywords: Pycnanthemum incanum; aroma extract dilution analysis; chiral chromatography; solvent assisted flavor evaporation; stabile-isotope-dilution assay.