Comparative investigation on the aroma profiles of edible citrus flowers in the main organs and different developmental stages

Abstract

Pomelo flowers emit a strong fragrance and give aromatic odors. Volatile compounds from pomelo flowers were analyzed at three developmental stages and in the main organs by molecular sensory science. A total of 134 volatiles including 25 odorants, were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry/pulsed flame photometric detector (GC–MS/PFPD) and multidimensional GC–MS/olfactory (MDGC–MS/O). The total volatile content varied among pomelo flowers at different developmental stages (stage-III > stage-II > stage-I) and among different organs of pomelo flowers (petal > pistil > stamen). Linalool was an important odorant with a high OAV, and floral/fruity comprised the predominant aroma profile. Four odorants, ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, linalool, β-myrcene, and 2-butenal, were selected based on variable importance in projection (VIP) values and contributed mainly to the discrimination of pomelo flowers at three different developmental stages. Linalool, β-myrcene, d-limonene, and ethyl hexanoate were potential markers for evaluating flavor differences in pomelo floral organs.

Keywords

• Edible flowers
• Different developmental stages
• Volatiles
• Odorants
• Potential odorant marker