Identification of Key Aroma Substances in Pomegranate from Different Geographical Origins via Integrated Volatile...

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Agricultural Science

Background:

• Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) aroma is crucial for its quality and flavor.
• Aroma is determined by volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can vary with geographical origin.
• Understanding these variations is key for origin traceability and quality control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize VOCs in pomegranates from six Chinese regions.
• To investigate the influence of geographical origin on pomegranate aroma and taste profiles.
• To identify potential geographical markers for pomegranate origin traceability.

Main Methods:

• Utilized electronic nose (E-nose) and electronic tongue (E-tongue) for sensory profiling.
• Employed headspace gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS) and headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) for VOC analysis.
• Applied multivariate statistical analyses including PCA, OPLS-DA, and VIP for data interpretation.

Main Results:

• E-nose and E-tongue successfully differentiated pomegranates by geographical origin, with aroma being more significant than taste.
• Identified 46 and 58 VOCs via HS-GC-IMS and HS-SPME-GC-MS, respectively, with alkenes, esters, and alcohols being major contributors to regional differences.
• HS-GC-IMS showed superior discriminatory power, and key aroma compounds like hexanal and nonanal were identified as potential regional markers.

Conclusions:

• VOC profiles serve as reliable indicators for pomegranate geographical origin.
• The study supports the development of origin traceability systems in the pomegranate industry.
• Identified key aroma compounds can aid in quality control and authentication of pomegranate products.