Alteração da composição do aroma do coentro desde da sua colheita até ao produto final embalado e comparação com diferentes variedades de coentro

Abstract

Due to the growing consumer interest in fresh foods, herbs are proving to be a popular choice in the market for ready-to-eat products, often chosen for convenience and taste. Among the different herbs existing in the market, coriander (Coriandrum Sativum L.) is the most widely produced in Portugal, occupying an area of 17.14 ha. Coriander is an annual herb belonging to Umbelliferae family, which has a wealth of secondary metabolites of high economical and medicinal value (including essential oils). Considering the importance of coriander in the national market, the focus of this study was on the aromatic compounds of C. sativum L. from the point of harvest through processing to the final product. At the same time, a study was conducted to analyse the behaviour of aromatic compounds in the product shelf-life. A total of 21 compounds were identified in the aroma of coriander in the samples from both farms, using two methods of gas chromatography. The majority of compounds in coriander leaf were aliphatic aldehydes, followed by long-chain alcohols, in agreement with other scientific studies. The conditions and production time cycle during summer season of B farm are more suited to the development and maintenance of the aroma during shelf-life of the final unwashed product. The conditions and production time cycle during spring season of A farm proved to be better for the washed product, with the loss of the compounds identified by GC-SPME being minor, in comparison to B farm. However, the results obtained in the washed product may be due to the release of compounds occurring at different times, with the A farm produce releasing compounds at an earlier stage, exhibiting minor loss of compounds after processing. Meanwhile, the B farm product releases its compounds later. From a commercial point of view, and according to consumer needs, the identification of aromatic compounds in the final product package may be advertised with the introduction of a label stating that the product contains coriander essential oils (containing the main compounds, such as (E)-2-tetradecenal and decanal), which improve the aromatic characteristic of coriander, which is an appealing trait to the consumer.

Date of Award	10 May 2017
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Jason Cassar de Sain (Supervisor) & Maria Manuela Pintado (Co-Supervisor)