AROMA PROFILES AND PREFERENCES OF JASMINUM SAMBAC L. FLOWERS 485 ENFLEURAGE Jasmine petals (100 g) were strewn by hand on the top of the enfl eurage base layer and wrapped by aluminum foil and paraffi n fi lm to prevent the chassis from light exposure. The pile of the chassis was kept at 20°C for 24 h. The defl euraged jasmine petals were replaced daily with fresh jasmine petals in the morning for a period of 12 days. The ob- tained pomade was removed with a spatula and extracted by denatured alcohol (Merck, Germany) thrice in a separatory funnel. The alcoholic fragrance solution was kept under 20°C for 1 h before fi ltration. These processes were repeated until the obtained fi ltrate was a clear solution, giving an absolute de pomade. The absolute de pomade was equally divided. The fi rst part was kept in a solution form in a light- and air-protected vessel, whereas the other was concentrated under vacuo at 35°C yielding an extrait. MACERATION Fresh blooming jasmine petals (200 g) were gently fi lled in an Erlenmeyer fl ask (1000 ml) in which 800 ml of n-hexane (Merck, Germany) was added. The maceration tank was sealed from light and air exposure, and kept at room temperature for 24 h. Subsequently, vacuum fi ltration was carried out, followed by removal of solvent under reduced pressure at 35°C to obtain a concrete. The concrete was further partitioned with denatured alcohol (60 ml × 3), combined and concentrated as usual, yielding an absolute. GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY MASS SPECTROMETRY An aliquot (1 μl) of each sample was diluted in CH2Cl2 (1:1, v/v Fisher Scientifi c, UK) before analysis on a gas chromatography (GC Agilent 6890N) equipped with DB5 (Ag- ilent 122-5532, 30 m × 250 μm, 0.25 μm fi lm thickness) column and mass spectropho- tometry (MS Agilent 5973N). The oven program started from 60°C, rising to 300°C at a rate of 7°C/min. Helium was used as the carrier gas at a fl ow rate of 1.0 ml/min with a pressure of 9.32 psi. Injector was kept at 220°C and was made in split mode (split ratio = 100:1). The reference mass spectrum was obtained from MS-Willey7n.1database. The bases were additionally analyzed for background cutoff, eliminating fat and oil compo- nents similar to the solvents. PREFERENCE TEST A total of 103 nonsmoking, healthy Thai males and females aged 20–45 years, without olfactory disorders as well as fragrance and pollen allergies, were recruited for preference test. All the recruited subjects were informed about the study both in writing and ver- bally, and signed a written consent form, which was approved by the ethical committee of the Mae Fah Luang University before enrollment. Four aroma samples, comprising three extraits and one absolute (20 μl), diluted in min- eral oil (1:10, v/v), supplied by Namsiang Trading (Thailand), adsorbed on fi lter paper (Whatman no. 1, USA), and cut in a square shape (1 × 1 cm), were placed in an amber

JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE 486 vial wrapped with an aluminum foil, separately, with a sniff port diameter of 1 mm. Sniff test of each sample (1 min) was done with 1 min of resting period before the next sniff. This preference test was performed in a controlled environment room without interfer- ence factors and was conducted by a recruited volunteer who refrained from fragrance and scent products application. Likert scale was used for odor quality (1–3) and difference (1–5) evaluations. The odor quality, compared with fresh jasmine, was divided into three levels, i.e., less, equal, and better. The score interval was [(maximum means − minimum means)/3]. On the basis of the means time, the odor difference was separated into fi ve levels, i.e., non, slightly, mod- erate, high, and extreme, and the score interval was calculated similar to that evaluated for the quality, but divided by 5 (11). Fresh jasmine was used as a reference, and was pre- pared in a similar container with those four samples. The data were analyzed and pre- sented as means ± SD . RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Jasmine is extensively used in perfumery because of its fi ne, sweet, and elegant fragrance impact. Its fresh fl owers have been widely used in traditional Thai aroma materials, such as garland, mobile, as well as wreath. In addition, jasmine aroma essences are prepared using several methods and forms. Furthermore, the pleasant odor of jasmine exhibiting the oriental fl oral note is in high demand (9). Therefore, in this study the aroma profi les of this fragrant fl ower were studied. Harvesting of jasmine fl owers for enfl eurage and solvent extractions was conducted in the morning because of the presence of higher aroma compounds (12). The jasmine aroma preparations were carried out during February– June, which is the climax fl owering season in Thailand. Spermaceti wax was used in the present enfl eurage because it is white, translucent, slightly unctuous, and free of rancidity due to the presence of cetyl palmitate, cetylic al- cohol, and other fatty alcohols and fatty acids, which gave a clear colorless aroma extract because of less deterioration of the wax (13). Rice bran oil was chosen due to its versatile production in Thailand, similar to sunfl ower oil. These two oils were compared with the imported olive oil. Although odor of the base before aroma absorption blocked the oil character, strong fresh jasmine odor was obtained afterward. Although olive oil system gave fewer yields than rice bran oil (Table I), it deteriorated less. Therefore, enfl eurage base composed of spermaceti wax and olive oil was found to be the most suitable base. This was further supported by the analysis of volatiles that was noted to be in accordance with the preference result and would be discussed later. However, the solvent extraction of jasmine gave wax that produced a pungent dry jasmine odor, particularly, in the con- crete. The quantitative results of volatile constituents of jasmine aroma extracts are shown in Table II. Samples A–C were the absolute de pomades, and Samples D–F were the extraits obtained from enfl eurage bases, consisting of rice bran, sunfl ower, and olive oils, respec- tively. Solvent extraction gave the absolute (G) and concrete (H), which were compared. The enfl eurage extraction gave the volatiles that were in higher quantities in the absolute de pomades than in the extraits. Furthermore, 1-hydroxy-1,7-dimethyl-4-isopropyl-2,7- cyclodecadiene, germacrene D derivative in alcohol form, which is a key component for differentiating J. sambac from J. grandifl orum (14), was found. This characteristic aroma of