Abstract
To identify the key odorants in Amomum tsaoko (AT), volatiles in fresh AT (FAT) and dried AT (DAT) were investigated using molecular sensory science. In addition to this, the sensomics approach was used to confirm the presence of the compound in FAT that contributed the most to its aroma profile. A total of 49 odor-active compounds (43 in FAT and 42 in DAT) with flavor dilution (FD) factors ranging from 1 to 6561 were identified, with eucalyptol exhibiting the highest FD factor of 6561. Odorants with FD factors ≥ 27 were quantitated, and 23 and 20 compounds in FAT and DAT, respectively, with odor activity value ≥ 1 were determined as key odorants. Recombination and omission experiment further indicated that (E)-2-dodecenal, geranial, octanal, (E)-2-octenal, (E)-2-decenal, and eucalyptol contributed significantly to the overall aroma profile of FAT. After drying of FAT, the concentrations of aldehydes decreased significantly, whereas those of terpene hydrocarbons increased. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed that 26 FAT and 23 DAT odorants were biomarker compounds.