Abstract
This study aimed to reveal the differences in chemical constituents and bioactivity of essential oils (EOs) of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride (CRPV) from different growth origins in China. EOs of CRPV from Sichuan (EO-SC), Anhui (EO-AH), and Guangdong (EO-GD) provinces were extracted using hydrodistillation. The optimized conditions for hydrodistillation were sample-solvent ratio of 1:10 and extraction time of more than 3.0 h. Olfactory sensory evaluation suggested that EO-AH possessed strong citrus, fruity, and freshness aromas, and EO-GD exhibited stronger spicy and woody aromas. GC-MS analysis indicated that the contents of volatile compounds in EO-AH and EO-GD were obviously higher than that of EO-SC. D-limonene, linalool, o-cymene, and γ-terpinolene, etc. were revealed as the key mutual flavor compounds for three EOs. The strong citrus, fruity, and freshness aromas of EO-AH could be associated with high ROAV values of D-limonene, linalool, and γ-terpinolene. EO-AH and EO-GD exhibited strong antioxidant and antibacterial activities. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-026-02112-0.