The purpose of this study was to investigate the volatile flavor compounds of Ligularia stenocephala and Ligularia fischeri, edible wild plants. The volatile flavor compounds were isolated by the simultaneous distillation extraction method and analyzed by GC-MSD (gas chromatography-mass selective detector). Forty-eight volatile flavor compounds were identified in the extracts from L. stenocephala and the major compounds were sabinene, cis-ocimene, trans-caryophyllene, and β-elemene. Fifty-one volatile flavor compounds were identified in the extracts from L. fischeri and the major compounds were α-pinene, germacrene-D, transcaryophyllene, endo-1-bourbonanol and 1-limonene. The common volatile flavor compounds between two plants were transcaryophyllene, sabinene, β-elemene and β-cubebene etc. However, α-phellendrene and myrcene were identified in L. stenocephala, but were not identified in L. fischeri. However α-pinene, germacrene-D and limonene were identified in L. fischeri but were not identified in L. stenocephala.

This study was performed to determine the effects of the blanching condition (immersion ratio 1:15 (w/v) for 3 min at 95oC, and solution containing 1% sodium chloride) and selected forming agents (dextrin DE=10, dextrin DE=20, β-cyclodextrin; each forming agents added 5%) on the phytochemical compounds and quality characteristics of Ligularia fischeri leaves. The moisture was not affected by the forming agent. The color of a, b and chroma values were low in the blanching treatment groups and were significantly lowest with β-cyclodextrin (CD). The polyphenol and flavonoid contents in the blanching treatment groups were higher than those in the non-blanching-treatment group. The ascorbic acid content was higher in the non-blanching-treatment group and was significantly highest in the group treated with dextrin (DE=10) whereas the blanching treatment groups showed lower dehydroascorbic acid content than the non-blanching-treatment group. The water absorption was higher in the non-blanching-treatment group and was significantly highest in the group treated with CD. The water solubility in the blanching treatment groups treated with dextrin (DE=20) and CD was higher than that in the blanching treatment group treated with DE=10. The total chlorophyll and chlorophyll a and b contents were high in the blanching treatment group treated with CD, and for the total carotenoid contents, the same tendency as that seen with the chlorophyll content was observed. With regard to the particle diameter, those in the blanching treatment groups were lower than that in the non-blanching-treatment group and was significantly lowest in the blanching treatment groups treated with DE=20 and CD. The result of SEM observation showed that the spray-dried powders in blanching treatment groups treated with the DE=20 and CD forming agents had uniform particle distribution.