Volatile compound profiling and chlorine dioxide-mediated odor mitigation in refrigerated environment of leeks

Leek is a nutrient-rich vegetable commonly stored at 4 °C for household use. However, during refrigeration, leeks emit volatile compounds that produce unpleasant odors, potentially affecting the sensory quality of other foods stored nearby. To identify and mitigate these odors, we employed in situ solid-phase microextraction tandem gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to analyze the volatiles from leeks under cold storage. Nine key odorants were identified through correlation analysis between odor activity values (OAVs) and sensory scores. Over 144 h of refrigeration, the total OAV of these compounds increased from 12.0 to 100.9. Introduction of chlorine dioxide gas (0.43 mg/L) significantly reduced both the OAVs and sensory scores. The deodorization mechanism mainly involved the oxidation of sulfide to sulfone and sulfoxide, while aldehyde and alcohol were oxidized into corresponding acids. These findings offer a valuable reference for understanding odor dynamics in refrigerated vegetables and for developing deodorization strategies in food storage environments.