Multi-dimensional analysis of quality differences among four cultivars of bamboo shoots

The quality differences and underlying reasons of 4 bamboo shoots (<i>dendrocalamus brandisii</i>, <i>dendrocalamus latiflorus</i>, <i>pleioblastus amarus</i>, and <i>phyllostachys violascens</i>) were systematically analyzed. Results showed that there were significant differences in nutritional content, edibility, color, and hardness among 4 bamboo shoots, with <i>dendrocalamus brandisii</i> having highest overall acceptance. HS-SPME-GC-MS identified 43 volatile flavor compounds from the 4 bamboo shoots, with 8 compounds being the primary cause of the flavor differences of 4 bamboo shoots. LC-MS/MS identified 403 non-volatile taste metabolites from the 4 bamboo shoots, with 259 metabolites showing significant differences, and most of these metabolites were found to have potential disease-preventive effects. Further analysis revealed that these differential metabolites were mainly involved in the metabolism of amino acids, carbohydrates, and fatty acids, indicating that the differences in amino acids, fats, carbohydrates, fibers, and bitter compounds might be the main reasons for the quality differences among 4 bamboo shoots.