Headspace volatiles from dried sporocarps of the candy cap mushroom, Lactarius fragilis var. rubidus were analysed using solid phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). 3-Amino-4,5-dimethyl-2(5H)-furanone (quabalactone III) was identified as the source of the maple syrup odour of the dried mushrooms. The hydrolysis product of quabalactone III, 3-hydroxy-4,5-dimethylfuran-2(5H)-one (sotolon), a compound with an intense maple syrup-like odour, was not observed in mushroom's headspace volatiles.