Characterization of aroma-active compounds in Dongli by quantitative descriptive analysis, gas chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry, and gas chromatography-olfactometry

Dongli , or frozen pear, is a traditional Chinese snack with a unique flavor. This study identified the aroma-active volatile compounds (VOCs) in Dongli using quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA), gas chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS), and gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O). QDA indicated that Dongli of all cultivars presented increased sweet and wine aromas. A total of 21 VOCs were identified by GC-MS/MS. Bidirectional orthogonal partial least square (O2PLS) analysis, GC-O analysis, detection frequency analysis (DFA), and relative odor activity values (ROAV) showed that: estragole and anethole contributing “anise, green” aromas were the key aromatic VOCs of fresh pears, while ethyl butanoate, butyl acetate, heptyl acetate, benzaldehyde, and geranyl acetone contributing “sweet, fruity, green” aromas were the key aromatic VOCs of Dongli . The results revealed that the repeated freezing treatment promoted a unique aroma in pears. This study would contribute to developing new pear products. Graphical abstract