Exploring flavor patterns in the peel of tangor: A new citrus variety based on electronic sensors and GC-MS/O.

This study used electronic sensors and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactometry to analyze the peels of eight citrus fruits. Five taste patterns were evaluated, with citrus kiyomi having the highest sweetness and bitterness and citrus tsunokaori having the highest sourness. Electronic nose and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses revealed the major volatile compounds to be limonene, myrcene, and α-pinene. Citrus kiyomi had the highest limonene content. Gas chromatography olfactometry analysis identified 12 odor-active compounds, with limonene being the most intense. The analysis of odor contributions expressed as thresholds indicates that limonene accounted for the most significant proportion. Further principal component analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis, partial least squares discriminant, and correlation network analysis were used to identify correlations between flavor compounds and samples, making it easier to assess similarities between samples.