Volatile constituents of Chinese chive (Allium tuberosum Rottl. ex Sprengel) and rakkyo (Allium chinense G. Don).

Volatile components were isolated from Chinese chive and rakkyo by simultaneous steam distillation-solvent extraction and analyzed by GC and GC-MS. Sulfur compounds account for 88 and 94% of the total volatiles in the isolated extract of Chinese chive and rakkyo, respectively. In addition to the sulfur compounds commonly reported in the genus Allium, 27 novel volatile sulfur-containing components were found in the isolated extracts of both species. Among them were a sulfide, disulfides, trisulfides, and tetrasulfides with ethyl, butyl, and pentyl groups.