Evaluation of spices and oleoresins. VIII. Improved separation and estimation of pungent and related components of ginger by thin-layer chromatography.

A combination of the wedged-tip TLC technique and choice of solvent
polarity has been used to clearly separate the pungent and weakly
pungent homologs of gingerols and shogaols of ginger extracts. The
quantitative estimation, of the separated components provides valid
data for correlation with subjective pungency. By TLC analysis of the
alkaline degradation products, the pungent fractions were shown to be
the (6) - and the weakly pungent fractions to be (8) - (and possibly
(10) - ) gingerols and shogaols. Zingerone has not been found even in
commercial samples stored over many years.