Odor-Active Compounds in Cardboard

The odor-active compounds of cardboard were identified by aroma extract dilution analysis and HRGC-MS analysis. In total, 36 compounds were detected with medium to high intensities during HRGC-olfactometry. The highest odor intensities were evaluated for vanillin, (E)-non-2-enal, (R/S)-gamma-nonalactone, 2-methoxyphenol, (R/S)-delta-decalactone, p-anisaldehyde, 3-propylphenol, and a woody-smelling unknown compound. Most of the identified compounds were described as odor-active cardboard constituents for the first time. Sensory experiments demonstrated that extensive release of odor-active compounds occurred upon moistening of the cardboard. Accordingly, data indicated that the odorants are present in cardboard in relatively high amounts. In a further sensory study, a transfer of the released odor to food was demonstrated in a model experiment showing that cardboards with high odor potential can cause unwanted flavor changes in foods.