Characterisation of different types of hay by solid-phase micro-extraction–gas chromatography mass spectrometry and multivariate data analysis

The volatile organic compounds of different ground hay samples from Austria, Italy and Switzerland were collected at 50°C on a Supelco Carbowax Divinylbenzene headspace solid-phase microextraction fibre, separated by capillary gas chromatography on an HP5-ms column running a temperature programme and using helium as carrier gas, detected with a mass sensitive detector and studied with principal component analyses after autoscaling selected variables. The analytes, mainly mono- and sesquiterpenes, were able to cluster differences resulting from the site of production. Coumarin can be used to differentiate hay grown north and south of the main chain of the Alps. Acetic acid is appropriate for distinguishing between hay from Kastelruth and Passeier Valley, two South Tyrolean regions. The average linalool content in aftermath is higher than in hay. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.