Headspace evaluation of methanethiol and dimethyl trisulfide in aqueous solutions of soy-protein isolates

Volatile compounds from 2 samples of aqueous soy-protein isolates (SPI) (7%) were analyzed using both static and dynamic headspace methods. Based on dynamic headspace analyses, the most powerful odorants were (1) dimethyl trisulfide, (2) methanethiol, (3) hexanal, (4) an unidentified charred, sweaty feet-like odor, (5) 2-pentyl furan, (6) 2,3-butadione, and (7) an unknown burnt-like odor. The most powerful odorants by static headspace analyses were (1) dimethyl trisulfide, (2) hexanal, (3) methanethiol, and (4) 2-pentyl furan. Using deuterium labeled DMTS as an internal standard, DMTS was quantified at 60.1 and 45.5 ppb in the SPIs. This corresponds to odor values of 6014 and 4554, respectively. Using a cool, on-column technique, direct injection of concentrated-headspace volatiles and solvent-recovered volatiles with an internal standard of d₆-DMTS detected both methanethiol and DMTS at similar levels as with the traditional injection methods.