Daniel Neuner

Graduate Student 
Department of Food Science

Thesis Project Outline: Sulfur Volatile Identification & Mitigation in Mint Essential Oil Distillation 

Background/Rationale 
– Sulfur-containing volatile compounds (DMS, CS2, DMSO, DMDS) are implicated in off-notes that degrade oil quality

– Gap: limited process-level data on sulfur content in mint essential oils, and how distillation parameters influence sulfur volatile carryover/formation

Objectives
1. Characterize and compare sulfur volatile profiles across corn mint (Mentha arvensis) essential oil and peppermint (Mentha piperita) essential oil

2. Compare dried peppermint leaf material to assess how the distillation step itself changes the sulfur profile relative to the starting plant matrix

3. Identify distillation-level (processing) variables that can be optimized to mitigate sulfur volatile levels in the finished oil

Using GC-MS, Daniel aims to determine a comparative sulfur volatile profile across various mint sample matrices. Additionally, process-level recommendations for reducing sulfur off-notes at the distilling stage will be developed.