Carrots (Daucus carota L.) of cv. Bolero and cv. Carlo were processed into shreds and stored for up to 4 months at −24 °C (frozen storage), or the roots were stored for up to 4 months at 1 °C (refrigerated storage) followed by processing into shreds. Volatiles from the carrot shreds were collected by dynamic headspace technique and analyzed by GC-FID, GC-MS, GC-MS/MS, and GC-O to determine the volatile composition and aroma active components of carrots stored under different temperature conditions. A total of 52 compounds were quantified, of which mono- and sesquiterpenes accounted for ∼99% of the total volatile mass. Major volatile compounds were (−)-α-pinene, β-myrcene, (−)-limonene, (+)-limonene, (+)-sabinene, γ-terpinene, p-cymene, terpinolene, β-caryophyllene, α-humulene, and (E)- and (Z)-γ-bisabolene. A considerable increase in the concentration of mono- and sesquiterpenes was observed during refrigerated storage, whereas the concentration of terpenoids was around the same level during frozen storage. GC-O revealed that the major volatiles together with (+)-α-pinene, (−)-β-pinene, (+)-β-pinene, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, (−)-β-bisabolene, β-ionone, and myristicin had an odor sensation, which included notes of “carrot top”, “terpene-like”, “green”, “earthy”, “fruity”, “citrus-like”, “spicy”, “woody”, and “sweet”.

Keywords: Daucus carota; volatiles; GC-MS; dynamic headspace analysis; enantiomeric separation; GC-O; postharvest storage