Abstract: Volatile flavor compounds of blanched whole almond (roasted), wheat moon cakes and almond moon cakes (containing 50 % full-fat or 50% fat-free almond flour) were assayed by use of Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) and Gas Chromatography - Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS) methodology. The effects of storage time and different atmosphere in package (air, air without oxygen and vacuum) on the volatile flavor compounds of moon cake containing 50% full-fat almond flour were also investigated. Results showed that the main volatile flavor compounds of blanched whole almond (roasted) were 2-methyl-butanal, acetic acid and 2,5-dimethyl-pyrazine, and that the most important volatile flavor compounds of these three kinds of moon cakes were hexanal. The effects of storage time and packaging method on volatile flavor compounds of moon cakes were not significant during short period of storage.

Key words: moon cake, california almond flour, volatile flavor compounds, packaging method, storage time