Abstract: Qualitative and quantitative analysis was conducted to determine the neutral and basal volatile components in cured tobacco with different degrees of nicotine to nornicotine conversion by using GC/MS. The results showed that nicotine conversion lead to the changes in the proportion of neutral and basic components in the whole volatile chemistry. The contents of some of the important aroma components such as megastigmatrieonel and beta-damascenone decreased as the increase of the conversion level; while some of the sugar and amino acid degradated components increased; the content of indole, an amine with unpleasant odor, also increased. Nicotine conversion resulted in the dramatic increase in myosamine content which was among the basic volatile components. The contents of neophytadiene and solanone and some other aroma components remained unchanged between different samples. The study provided material bases for the sensory evaluation results conducted with tobacco of different conversion levels.

Key words: Tobacco, Nicotine, Nornicotine, Nicotine conversion, Aroma, Neutral components, Basic components

CLC Number: 

• S572.01