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α ‐Linalool – a marker compound of forged/synthetic sweet basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.) essential oils
Author(s) -
Radulović Niko S,
Blagojević Polina D,
Miltojević Ana B
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.6175
Subject(s) - basilicum , ocimum , linalool , chemotype , monoterpene , essential oil , sweet basil , chemistry , botany , food science , biology , organic chemistry
BACKGROUND Ocimum basilicum L. (sweet basil) is known to occur as several chemotypes or cultivars that differ in their essential oil composition. The surprising discovery of 3,7‐dimethylocta‐1,7‐dien‐3‐ol, the rare α isomer of the well‐known monoterpene alcohol β ‐linalool (3,7‐dimethylocta‐1,6‐dien‐3‐ol), in samples of Serbian basil oil provoked an investigation of the origin of α ‐linalool in these samples. Three scenarios were considered, namely (a) the existence of a new natural chemotype, (b) an artefactual formation during the isolation procedure and (c) the case of a synthetic/forged oil.RESULTS Noteworthy amounts (15.1–16.9%) of pure α ‐linalool were isolated from a commercial sample of basil oil, and detailed spectral analyses ( MS , IR , 1 H and 13 C NMR ) unequivocally confirmed its identity. The analysis by GC and GC / MS of an additional 20 samples of different O. basilicum oils commercially available on the Serbian market or isolated from plant material cultivated in Serbia resulted in the identification of 149 compounds. The obtained compositional data were compared using multivariate statistical analysis to reveal the possible existence of a new basil chemotype.CONCLUSION The results of the chemical and statistical analyses give more pro arguments for the synthetic/forged oil hypothesis and suggest that α ‐linalool could be used as a marker compound of such O. basilicum oils. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry