Volatiles from papaya (Carica papaya, L.) fruit: Indication of precursors of terpene compounds

: In fruit pulp of papaya (Carica papaya, L.) the enzymes were inhibited by Hg2+. These sample were compared with others, in which the enzymes had not been inhibited. After separation and prefractionation of volatiles by means of high vacuum distillation/solvent extraction and subsequent adsorption chromatography on silicagel, capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry showed that in the experiment with Hg2+ the formation of terpene alcohols and hydrocarbons as well as benzylisothiocyanate was totally inhibited. The formation of linalooloxides and related compounds was inhibited to about 60%. From these results the occurrence of bound terpene precursors in papaya fruit may be postulated, from which the free volatile terpenes are enzymatically liberated after decompartmentalization of tissue during fruit pulp preparation.