TITLE:
Terpene-Rich Medicinal Plant Spices for Flavoring of Processed Tropical Food
AUTHORS:
Appolonia A. Obiloma, Wenceslaus C. Madu, Godson O. Osuji, Peter A. Ampim, Aruna D. Weerasooriya, Laura E. Carson
KEYWORDS:
γ-Terpinene, β-Caryophyllene, Ocimene, Delta Carene, African Rain Forest, Microextraction GC-MS
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.10 No.4,
April
22,
2019
ABSTRACT: Tropical medicinal plant spices have remained
underutilized in commercial food processing because of the inadequate chemical
characterization of their terpene compositions. The activity of medicinal
plants used in flavoring is due to their terpene contents. Terpene contents of Aframomum danielli seeds, Xylopia aethiopica fruits, Syzygium aromaticum leaves, Piper guineense seeds, and Monodora myristica seeds were determined
using headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with gas
chromatography-mass spectrometry. P.
guineense is rich in terpinene and terpinolene (2.5 g per 100 g), S. aromaticum has caryophyllene (0.68 g
per 100 g); A. danielli is rich in ocimene (1.65 g
per 100 g); X. aethiopica is rich in ocimene (2.94 g
per 100 g); M. mystristica is rich in delta carene
(0.49 g per 100 g). Combinations of the five medicinal plant spices are being
applied as flavorings in packaged tropical food.