Characterization of key odor-active volatiles in jasmine green tea by sensomics and chemometrics

Jasmine green tea (JGT), a distinctive Chinese tea product, derives its unique aroma via the adsorption of volatiles from jasmine flowers onto green tea-base tea (GBT). To identify the key odor-active volatiles in JGT, sensomics and chemometrics were employed, with GBT as the control. Sensory evaluation showed that GBT possesses a clean, fresh, and tender aroma, whereas JGT is characterized by a jasmine-like and refreshing scent. 35 and 31 candidate key odor-active compounds were identified in GBT and JGT, respectively, using aroma extract dilution analysis (FD > 16), and odor activity value analysis (OAV > 1). Aroma recombination, omission, and addition tests confirmed 13 key odor-active volatiles in JGT. Among these, <i>α</i>-farnesene and methyl salicylate were found to be the primary contributors to the jasmine-like and refreshing aromas, respectively. This study provides a theoretical reference for deeply understanding the molecular basis of JGT's aroma characteristics.