Integrated Flavoromics and Metabolomics Reveal Aroma and Bioactive Characteristics of Six Mainstream Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Cultivars

Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (CRP), a traditional functional food with various cultivars, is widely used in spices and food additives. However, systematic comparisons of flavor and chemical profiles across mainstream cultivars remain lacking. This study systematically analyzed the flavor characteristics, volatile/non-volatile metabolic profiles, and antioxidant activity of six mainstream CRP cultivars. A total of 455 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were identified, among which terpenoids showed distinct cultivar-specific accumulation and strongly affected aroma; 35 key VOCs were screened as pivotal contributors to distinct aroma profiles. Untargeted metabolomics identified 1289 non-volatile metabolites, among which polymethoxyflavones and flavonoid glycosides exhibited significant cultivar-specific accumulation. The six CRP cultivars showed five distinct metabolic accumulation patterns, which significantly affected the differences in bioactive compound accumulation and flavor formation among different cultivars. This study reveals the aroma formation basis and metabolic features of mainstream CRP cultivars, offering insights into CRP functional food development and genetic breeding.