The Coconut-like Flavor Defect from Milk Fat. III. Observations on the Origin of δ-Decalactone in Fat-Containing Dairy Products

Abstract

Evidence, experimental and theoretical, is presented which tends to indicate that the precursor of the coconut-like flavor compound, δ-decalactone, in fat-containing dairy products is 5-hydroxydecanoic acid. This compound is postulated to exist in native butterfat as a simple ester, uncharacterized. By low-temperature crystallization of butterfat from acetone, the ester in question was observed to concentrate in the low-melting fraction (−50° C. filtrate). It was further resolved into a fraction representing about 0.4% of the original fat by adsorption chromatography on alumina. © 1959, American Dairy Science Association. All rights reserved.