Static headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for volatile organic compounds in bovine milk samples

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) provide insight into the taste and aroma of milk. VOCs in milk are typically analyzed using headspace gas chromatographymass spectrometry (GC-MS). While static headspace GC-MS is a simple and widely applicable analytical technique for the analysis of VOCs in various samples, it has not been frequently applied to milk samples. In this study, static headspace GC-MS was used to compare the VOCs of three different brands of commercial milk. Three components were identified in the samples, that is, acetone, toluene, and 2-heptanone, where the concentration ranges of acetone, toluene, and 2-heptanone in the milk samples were 2.284-3.256, 0.028-0.178, and 0.014-0.020 mu g/mL, respectively. A literature review found that all three components were previously reported in milk, while toluene and 2-heptanone were newly identified using headspace GC-MS in this study.