The samples of Satureja subspicata Vis. honey were confirmed to be unifloral by melissopalynological analysis with the characteristic pollen share from 36% to 71%. Bioprospecting of the samples was performed by HPLC-DAD, GC-FID/MS, and UV/VIS. Prephenate derivatives were shown to be dominant by the HPLC-DAD analysis, particularly phenylalanine (167.8 mg/kg) and methyl syringate (MSYR, 114.1 mg/kg), followed by tyrosine and benzoic acid. Higher amounts of MSYR (3–4 times) can be pointed out for distinguishing S. subspicata Vis. honey from other Satureja spp. honey types. GC-FID/MS analysis of ultrasonic solvent extracts of the samples revealed MSYR (46.68%, solvent pentane/Et₂O 1:2 (v/v); 52.98%, solvent CH₂Cl₂) and minor abundance of other volatile prephenate derivatives, as well as higher aliphatic compounds characteristic of the comb environment. Two combined extracts (according to the solvents) of all samples were evaluated for their antioxidant properties by FRAP and DPPH assay; the combined extracts demonstrated higher activity (at lower concentrations) in comparison with the average honey sample. UV/VIS analysis of the samples was applied for determination of CIE Lab colour coordinates, total phenolics (425.38 mg GAE/kg), and antioxidant properties (4.26 mmol Fe²⁺/kg (FRAP assay) and 0.8 mmol TEAC/kg (DDPH assay)).

Iris taxa are sources of valuable essential oils obtained from aged rhizomes used by various industries, including pharmacy, cosmetic, perfume, and food industry, in which irones are the most important aroma components. In this study, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) obtained from dried rhizomes of three endemics from Croatia, Iris pseudopallida, I. illyrica, and I. adriatica, were studied. The VOCs were isolated by three different methods: headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS–SPME) using divinylbenzene/carboxene/polydimethylsiloxane (DVB/CAR/PDMS) fiber or polydimethylsiloxane/divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB) fiber, and hydrodistillation (HD). The samples were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). In five out of six samples, the main compounds detected by HS–SPME were perilla aldehyde, butan-2,3-diol, acetic acid, 2-phenylethanol, benzyl alcohol, hexanal, and nonanal, while 6-methylhept-5-en-2-one, trans-caryophyllene, and ethanol were common for all studied samples. The former VOCs were absent from the oldest, irone-rich I. pseudopallida sample, mainly characterized by cis-α-irone (43.74–45.76%). When using HD, its content was reduced (24.70%), while docosane prevailed (45.79%). HD yielded predominantly fatty acids, including myristic, common for all studied taxa (4.20–97.01%), and linoleic (40.69%) and palmitic (35.48%) as the major VOCs of I. adriatica EO. The performed GC–MS analyses of EOs, in combination with HS–SPME/GC–MS, proved to be useful for gaining a better insight into Iris VOCs.

Volatile aroma compounds are one of the main parameters in consumer choice and acceptance of cheese. The traditional way of making cheese, still preserved in Croatia, is the anaerobic ripening of curds in a lamb or goat sack. Cheeses produced in such a way have a specific aroma. The objective of this study was to determine the volatile compounds of Croatian cheese in a lamb skin sack prepared from a mixture of goat's and cow's milk and relate them with the aroma of this traditional cheese. The cheese extracts were obtained by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and ultrasonic solvent extraction (USE) and analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS). HS-SPME was performed at different temperatures (40, 50 and 60°C) using 2 fibres, divinylbenzene/carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane (DVB/CAR/PDMS) fibre and carboxen/ polydimethylsiloxane (CAR/PDMS) fibre. Increasing the extraction temperature resulted in higher sorption of fatty acids on both fibres. A total of 28 volatile compounds were identified in the cheese samples including 13 acids, 10 esters, 2 alcohols, 2 hydrocarbons and 1 ketone. Results revealed that fatty acids were the predominant group of volatile compounds in all samples. In samples obtained by HS-SPME, the most abundant were hexanoic, octanoic, butanoic, acetic and decanoic acid while (Z)-octadec-9-enoic, hexadecanoic, decanoic and tetradecanoic acid were the most abundant in the sample obtained by USE.

Three different isolates from unexplored wild-growing Brassicaceae plant Capsella rubella were investigated in order to provide more complete insight of the composition and content of volatile constituents. The analysis of volatile...

Cheeses ripened in animal skin sacks belong to traditional cheeses that are strongly connected to the culture and history of the country from which they originate. Their main specificity is anaerobic ripening in an animal skin sack. The aim of this study was to determine the volatile compounds of Croatian cheeses in a sack of lamb skin produced from either raw cow’s or goat’s milk and relate them to the aroma of these traditional cheeses. Volatile compounds were extracted by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and ultrasonic solvent extraction (USE) and analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 32 volatiles were identified in the cheese samples, including 12 carboxylic acids, 8 esters, 6 alcohols, 3 ketones, 2 hydrocarbons and 1 aldehyde. In the samples obtained by HS-SPME, the fatty acids and alcohols were the most abundant, while in the samples obtained by USE, the fatty acids were the most abundant.