Elucidation of the key odorants contributing to the distinctive honey and sweet potato-like aroma in Wuyi black tea

Honey and sweet potato-like aroma Wuyi black tea (WYBT) is highly favored by consumers for its warm and sweet flavor profile. However, the key odor-active compounds underlying this characteristic aroma have remained inadequately characterized. This study systematically characterized the unique honey and sweet potato-like aroma profile of WYBT through molecular sensory science approaches, leading to the identification of 19 key aroma-active compounds. Aroma recombination and omission experiments further established that 2-amylfuran, α -ionone, β -cyclocitral, β -damascenone, and benzeneacetaldehyde play central roles in constituting the characteristic aroma profile. Molecular docking revealed hydrogen-bonding and hydrophobic interactions between these five key compounds and olfactory receptors, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation further confirmed the stability of these bindings. This study identifies the key odor-active compounds underlying the distinctive honey and sweet-potato-like aroma of WYBT, providing a theoretical basis for quality standardization and process optimization of this unique tea variety.