1,2-propanediol in strawberries and its role as a flavour precursor

1,2-Propanediol has been identified in strawberries after solvent extraction, derivatisation to 1,2-bis(trimethylsily)oxypropane and analysis of its TMS derivative using GLC-MS and GLC-FID. The level of 1,2-propanediol in strawberries was fond to be 0.5 mu g g(-1) of fresh weight of fruit. Thirty-nine per cent of added 1,2-propanediol was recovered from strawberries. When exogenous 1,2-propanediol was fed to strawberry callus cultures, 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-2H-furan-3-one-glucoside, the glucosylated form of one of the character-impact compounds of strawberry flavour, was formed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.