Quality Differences in Ziziphus jujuba Mill. cv. Jinsi from Different Geographical Origins: A Comprehensive Multi-Indicator and Multivariate Statistical Evaluation

Ziziphus jujuba Mill. cv. Jinsi (Z. jujuba), a commercially significant cultivar of Chinese jujube, is extensively cultivated across diverse regions of China. However, comprehensive evaluations addressing the quality disparities of Z. jujuba originating from different geographical regions have received limited attention. To systematically evaluate quality variations in Z. jujuba across origins, 14 commercially cultivated commercial batches from 7 Chinese provinces were collected, with comprehensive parameters determined, including appearance, color, safety, aroma, flavor, and functional components. Multivariate statistical analyses, specifically Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Orthogonal Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA), and the entropy weight Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), were employed for data interpretation. All samples met national standards for aflatoxin and SO2 residues. Shanxi samples had the largest length and weight, while Jiangsu and Shaanxi showed optimal color. Key volatiles included nitrogen oxides and sulfides, with sweetness as the main sensory trait. Ningxia samples had the highest total triterpenes, Jiangxi the highest flavonoids, and Shandong the highest polysaccharides, and Shaanxi samples possessed the highest total oligosaccharides. Entropy weight TOPSIS ranked quality as Ningxia > Shaanxi > Jiangsu > Jiangxi > Shanxi > Shandong > Henan. These findings confirm origin-related environmental effects on Z. jujuba quality, providing a scientific basis for its quality evaluation and sustainable development.