Unraveling the Key Odorants in Floral-Fruity Aroma Pu-Erh Tea via GC-O-MS, GC-MS/MS, Aroma Recombination, and Omission Tests

Floral–fruity aroma Pu-erh tea (FFAPET) is highly valued by consumers for its distinctive and appealing fragrance. This study conducted a comprehensive investigation into the volatile components of FFAPET using advanced analytical techniques, including GC-O-MS, GC-MS/MS, aroma recombination, and omission tests. Compared with traditional stale aroma Pu-erh tea, FFAPET exhibited higher levels of alcohols and alkenes. Through GC-O-MS combined with OAV analysis, 10 key active-aroma compounds were identified in representative FFAPET samples. These compounds included (E, E)-2,4-heptadienal, phenylethyl alcohol, geraniol, (E,Z)-2,6-nonadienal, (Z)-4-heptenal, 2-phenethyl acetate, 2,2,6-trimethylcyclohexanone,D-limonene,β-ionone, and linalool, all of which made significant contributions to the development of the characteristic floral–fruity aroma profile. Tests involving aroma recombination and omission further confirmed that seven of these odorants played essential roles in defining the overall aroma of FFAPET. These findings offer valuable theoretical insights for the enhancement and regulation of Pu-erh tea flavor, particularly for the optimization of the floral–fruity aroma characteristics.