ABSTRACT
Selected lines of aromatic rice from American cv. A301 were cultivated in Italy, and the agronomic traits and chemical properties related to their aroma were studied. The most characteristic compound responsible for aromatic rice, 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, was quantified in all lines. Line B5-3, characterized by high 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline content, was investigated in greater detail for its volatile components and was compared with a commercial Basmati rice. Volatiles were collected by steam-distillation. Several classes of compounds were identified and quantified in both samples, including hydrocarbons, aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, heterocyclic, terpenes, disulfides, and phenols. Hexanal was the most abundant compound in both samples, followed by pentanal, 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, hexanol, benzaldehyde, oct-1-en-3-ol, 4-vinylguaiacol, indole, and trans-2- nonenal. 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline was present at 570 and 2,350 ppb in Basmati and B5-3, respectively.
