Work

Integrating E-nose, E-tongue, and HS-SPME-GC–MS analysis reveals the volatile profile and flavor characteristics of different Wampee (Clausena lansium (Lour.) Skeels)

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Wampee ( Clausena lansium ), a nutrient-rich tropical fruit in the Rutaceae family, is prized across southern China and Southeast Asia for its distinctive sweet-tart flavor and aromatic complexity, yet the chemical basis of its varietal divergence remains poorly characterized. Here, we present a multi-platform integrated flavor-omics strategy that combines electronic nose profiling, electronic tongue sensing, and headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC–MS) to systematically resolve the volatile and taste architectures of three representative wampee cultivars—’Shanhuangpi’, ‘Bingtangxin’, and ‘Heijingang’—across peel and flesh tissues. Electronic nose analysis revealed that the first two principal components explained 90.98% of the total variance among the six sample groups, with linear discriminant analysis achieving 100% classification accuracy driven predominantly by long-chain alkane, sulfur-containing, and methylated volatile classes. Electronic tongue profiling identified sourness, sweetness, and aftertaste-astringency as the primary discriminants, and uncovered a consistent tissue-partitioning pattern whereby flesh tissues are enriched in sourness and sweetness, whereas peel accumulates astringency and bitterness. HS-SPME-GC–MS identified 288 volatile compounds spanning 15 chemical classes, with terpenoids constituting 28.82% of the total volatile pool. Odor activity value (OAV) analysis of 57 quantitated volatiles identified five key odorants—myristicin (4-Methoxy-6-(2-Propenyl)-1,3-Benzodioxole), estragole, damascenone, linalool, and myrcene—that collectively define the characteristic balsamic, floral, spicy, woody, and fruity sensory notes of wampee. Partial least squares-discriminant analysis robustly segregated peel from flesh (R 2 Y = 0.833, Q 2 = 0.647), with 96 volatile metabolites significantly up-regulated in peel and enriched in monoterpene hydrocarbons. KEGG pathway enrichment—an indirect inference from volatile end-products—indicated that terpenoid backbone, monoterpenoid, and sesquiterpenoid/triterpenoid biosynthesis are the principal routes plausibly governing tissue-specific aroma formation. These findings establish a foundation for wampee quality assessment, cultivar authentication, and flavor-oriented breeding.

Source: Food Chemistry X

DOI: 10.1016/j.fochx.2026.104660