Qualitative and Semi-Quantitative Analysis of Citrus Honey for Its Volatile Components by GC-MS with Head-Space SPME

GC-MS with head-space SPME was applied to qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis of Chinese citrus honey samples for their volatile components. The fibre head of DVB/CAR/PDMS was used as microextractor in SPME. The honey sample (4.00 g) and water (1.00 g) were mixed in the head-space flask and after capping tightly, it was equilibrated at 50 ℃ for 10 min, and extracted for 50 min. The microextractor was removed out and desorbed (at 255 ℃ for 3.5 min) at the sampling inlet of GC. TG-5MS capillary column was used for chromatographic separation. Mode of EI was adopted in MS. Four Chinese citrus honey samples of different floral origins were analyzed by the proposed method, 72 volatile components were identified, including mainly alcohols, hydrocarbons, ketones, aldehydes and esters, among which limonene, trans- and cis- linalool oxide, β-linalool and citral were acknowledged as characteristic components (or markers). In analyzing 8 honey samples by the present method, values of RSD′s (n=5) of absolute peak area of the markers were found in the range of 2.9%-20%.