Off-odor compounds produced in cork by isolated bacteria and fungi: a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-olfactometry study.

The risk of development of specific olfactory profiles in cork was evaluated after inoculation of cork granules and agglomerated and natural cork stoppers with isolated bacteria and fungi. The highest incidence of off-odor development was found in assays when fungi were inoculated. Cork granules with musty-earthy, musty-earthy-TCA, and vegetative deviations were inspected by gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Sixteen odor zones were clearly recognized in the GC-O analyses. Among these, octanal, 2-methoxy-3,5-dimethylpyrazine (MDMP), Z-2-nonenal, 2-methylisoborneol, 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA), geosmin, and guaiacol were the most significant odorants and helped in the discrimination of sensory deviations. Only TCA and guaiacol were detected above their respective detection limits by HS-SPME-GC-MS. The fungi Cryptococcus sp. isolate F020, Rhodotorula sp. isolate F025, Penicillium glabrum isolate F001, and Pennicillium variabile F003A and the bacterium Pseudomonas jessenii isolate A1 were found to produce TCA to a greater extent. Additionally, 13 of 38 isolated microorganisms (2 bacteria and 11 fungi) proved able to produce unpleasant musty-earthy or vegetative odors that were not related to a significant TCA accumulation.