Character impact odorants of boiled chicken: changes during refrigerated storage and reheating

The most potent odorants of freshly boiled chicken and boiled, refrigerated and reheated chicken showing warmed-over flavour (WOF) were screened by dilution experiments. In total, 20 odorants were selected for quantification by stable isotope dilution assays. Calculation of odour activity values (ratio of concentration to odour threshold) indicated methanethiol, (E,E)- and (E,Z)-2,4-decadienal, (E,E)-2,4-nondienal, 2-furfurylthiol, hexanal, octanal and acetaldehyde as the character impact odorants of freshly boiled chicken, Refrigerated storage and reheating of boiled chicken led to a loss of meaty, chicken-like and sweet odour notes and to the formation of green, cardboard-like, metallic off-odours. These changes were mainly caused by a sevenfold increase of hexanal and a sixfold decrease of both (E,E)-2,4-decadienal and 2-furfurylthiol. Sensory experiments confirmed this conclusion.