A volatile profile of ramson (wild garlic, Allium ursinum L.) honey was investigated by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and ultrasonic solvent extraction (USE) followed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-FID/GC-MS) analyses. The headspace was dominated by linalool derivatives: cis- and trans-linalool oxides (25.3%; 9.2%), hotrienol (12.7%), and linalool (5.8%). Besides direct extraction with dichloromethane and pentane/diethyl ether mixture (1:2, v/v), two solvent sequences (I: pentane → diethyl ether; II: pentane → pentane/diethyl ether (1:2, v/v) → dichloromethane) were applied. Striking differences were noted among the obtained chemical profiles. The extracts with diethyl ether contained hydroquinone (25.8-36.8%) and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (11.6-16.6%) as the major compounds, while (E)-4-(r-1',t-2',c-4'-trihydroxy-2',6',6'-trimethylcyclohexyl)but-3-en-2-one predominated in dichloromethane extracts (18.3-49.1%). Therefore, combination of different solvents was crucial for the comprehensive investigation of volatile organic compounds in this honey type. This particular magastigmane was previously reported only in thymus honey and hydroquinone in vipers bugloss honey, while a combination of the mentioned predominant compounds is unique for A. ursinum honey.
Keywords: (E)-4-(r-1′,t-2′,c-4′-trihydroxy-3′,6′,6′-trimethylcyclohexyl)-but-3-en-2-one; 4-hydroxybenzoic acid; Allium ursinum L. honey; headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME); hydroquinone; methyl syringate; ultrasonic solvent extraction (USE) with the solvent sequence.