Prediction of sorption of isomeric flavors with solubility parameters

It is well-known that the sorption of flavors into plastic packagings seriously causes deterioration of food quality. In a series of our studies regarding sorption behavior of flavors we have successfully proposed a thermodynamic sorption equation to predict sorption behavior of flavors into plastic films on the basis of their Solubility Parameter (SP value). However, the application of the equation or SP values was restrictive to flavors without isomeric conformation, since SP values of isomers that are calculated by the sum of their cohesive energy density of atomic groups can not be distinguishable among isomers. In this study, thus, we have attempted to propose a new method to predict sorption behavior of flavor isomers using a contact angle method. Namely, using the calibration curve of flavors having known SP values with contact angle, SP values of isomers were successfully estimated. A good correlation between sorption behavior of isomers into plastic film and the sorption equation that their SP values were applied was observed, which indicated that the proposed SP estimation method using contact angle is applicable for predicting sorption of flavor isomers.