Volatile composition changes in lemon during fruit maturation by HS-SPME-GC-MS.

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Chemistry
• Food Chemistry
• Plant Biochemistry

Background:

• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) significantly influence fruit aroma and flavor.
• Understanding lemon volatiles is crucial for the food and beverage industry.
• This study investigates VOCs in 'Eureka' and 'Xiangshui' lemon pulps during ripening.

Purpose of the Study:

• To elucidate the volatile organic compounds during fruit ripening in lemon varieties.
• To compare the volatile profiles of 'Eureka' and 'Xiangshui' lemon cultivars.
• To assess the impact of ripening stage and cultivar on volatile compound composition.

Main Methods:

• Headspace-solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) was used for volatile enrichment.
• Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was employed for volatile analysis.
• Seventy-seven volatile compounds were identified and categorized.

Main Results:

• Significant variations in volatile compounds were observed between cultivars and ripening stages.
• 'Eureka' lemons showed higher monoterpene proportions, while 'Xiangshui' lemons had more sesquiterpenes, aldehydes, and alcohols.
• Oxygenated volatiles (alcohols, aldehydes, esters) increased as lemons ripened, particularly in disease-resistant varieties.

Conclusions:

• Fruit ripening alters the volatile organic compound profile in lemons.
• Disease-resistant lemon varieties exhibit a higher proportion of oxygenated volatiles.
• Findings support the application of lemon fruits and the development of disease-resistant germplasm.