Characterization of aroma compounds in bayberry juice by sensory evaluation and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Abstract

The aroma features of bayberry juice were characterized in this study, which included two varieties of juice from four different areas and 28 orchards. The aroma compounds were analyzed by stir bar sorptive extraction coupled to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (SBSE/GC–MS). In addition, four olfactory sensory attributes including sweet, acidic, fruit and flower aroma of bayberry juice were evaluated by a trained sensory panel (n = 8) using a quantitative descriptive test. The aroma compounds of great importance to the aroma characteristics were identified by correlation analysis between the odor-active compounds and the sensory attributes. The bayberry juice samples had relatively higher sensory score in fruit (5.02–5.61) and flower (4.73–5.46) aromas than sweet and acidic aromas. Seventy-three volatile components were detected in the four groups of bayberry juice, including 32 esters, 6 aldehydes, 3 ketones, 18 alcohols, 6 acids, 6 alkenes, and 2 phenols compounds. Based on the odor activity values (OAVs), 34 aroma compounds were identified as odor-active compounds. Hexyl alcohol, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl acetate, ethyl caprate, linalool, nonyl aldehyde and isoamyl acetate were identified as the key aroma compounds in the bayberry juice.