Comparing characteristic aroma components of bead-shaped green teas from different regions using headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry/olfactometry combined with chemometrics

• Published in: European food research & technology Vol. 246; no. 9; pp. 1703 - 1714
• Main Authors: Liu, Panpan, Zheng, Pengcheng, Gong, Ziming, Feng, Lin, Gao, Shiwei, Wang, Xueping, Teng, Jing, Zheng, Lin, Liu, Zhonghua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.09.2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agriculture; Analytical Chemistry; Aroma; Aroma compounds; Biotechnology; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chemometrics; Chromatography; Cluster analysis; Discriminant analysis; Flavor; Flavors; Food Science; Forestry; Gas chromatography; Green tea; Headspace; Ionone; Mass spectrometry; Mass spectroscopy; Odor; Olfactometers; Original Paper; Principal components analysis; Scientific imaging; Solid phase methods; Solid phases; Spectroscopy; Statistical analysis; Statistical methods; Tea; Volatile compounds; Bead-shaped green tea; Volatile constituents; Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry/olfactometry; Chemometrics; Key odorants
• ISSN: 1438-2377; 1438-2385
• DOI: 10.1007/s00217-020-03514-y

In this study, the aroma components of bead-shaped green teas were compared through headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry/olfactometry (GC–MS/O) coupled with chemometrics. A total of 62 volatile compounds were identified in 16 green tea samples. Notably, comparison of GC–MS/O and odour activity values (OAV) results revealed that nonanal, decanal, (E)-2-nonenal, β-ionone, and 1-octen-3-one were the most powerful aroma-active compounds that contributed to the aroma profile of the bead-shaped green teas. Furthermore, multivariate statistical techniques (such as principal component analysis, partial least squares-discriminant analysis, and hierarchical cluster analysis) were used to characterise the bead-shaped green teas according to their geographical origin and the flavour characteristics of their volatile compounds. Additionally, the variable importance in the projection method was used to identify 20 volatile markers that could successfully distinguish bead-shaped green teas on the basis of three flavour characteristics. The results of the analysis revealed that HS-SPME and GC–MS/O coupled with chemometrics can provide an effective method for characterising and classifying bead-shaped green teas.