Uncovering characteristic and enantiomeric distribution of volatile components in Huangshan Maofeng and Zhejiang baked green teas

Huangshan Maofeng (HSMF) is a famous baked green tea from the Anhui Province of China, known for its “clean and fresh” flavor. Zhejiang, another major tea-producing province, focuses on the production of green teas. This study aimed to analyze the characteristic aroma components and specific enantiomeric distribution of significant chiral volatile compounds in HSMF and Zhejiang baked green tea (ZJ-BGT) with respect to their origins, cultivars and grades using stir bar sorptive extraction combined with non-targeted gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and enantiomeric GC–MS approaches. Unique enantiomeric distributions were identified for 2-methylbutanal, γ-nonanolactone, jasmine lactone, α-pinene, cis -linalool oxide (furanoid), and linalool in HSMF and ZJ-BGT. Furthermore, the concentrations of hexanal, cis -3-hexenyl butyrate, geraniol, and the enantiomeric ratio of R -α-terpineol demonstrated a positive correlation with the HSMF grade. Additionally, S -jasmine lactone and R -γ-nonanolactone present in HSMF, along with S -linalool found in ZJ-BGT, significantly contribute to the flavor quality of their respective teas.