Characteristic odour components of bergamot (Citrus bergamia Risso) essential oil

The volatile components of bergamot (Citrus bergamia Risso) essential oil produced in Reggio Calabria in Italy were investigated using GC, GC–MS and gas chromatography–olfactometry (GC–O). Fifty-five compounds in the oil were identified by GC and GC–MS. The major compounds were limonene (37.2%), linalyl acetate (30.1%), linalool (8.8%), γ-terpinene (6.8%) and β-pinene (6.2%). In sensory analysis, odour description and flavour dilution (FD) factors of each component were evaluated by GC-sniffing and aroma extraction dilution analysis (AEDA). Bergamot-like odour components were (Z)-limonene oxide, decanal, linalyl acetate and geraniol. A mixture of eight other components, such as limonene, linalool, γ-terpinene and others, in addition to the four bergamot-like aroma compounds, brought about an aroma model of bergamot odour with the similarity of 7.1 by the nine-point-score sensory test. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.