Systematic Characterization of Flavor Profiles and Screening of Potential Key Aroma-Active Components in Prunus salicina var. cordata cv. ‘Younai’

Prunus salicina var. cordata cv. ‘Younai’ is a characteristic stone fruit germplasm resource of Fujian Province, yet its core flavor components remain unclear. This study aimed to comprehensively characterize the flavor chemistry of Younai by determining the contents of sugar–acid components and volatile compounds, combined with untargeted metabolomics analysis. Results showed that fructose was the predominant sweet component, while malic acid was the dominant organic acid in Younai. (Z)-3-Hexen-1-ol, 1-Hexanol and (Z)-3-Hexen-1-yl acetate were screened as potential key aroma-active compounds based on odor activity values, and γ-Decalactone plus Linalool further enriched the fruit aroma hierarchy. Untargeted metabolomics identified 26 saccharides and 21 organic acids in the fruits. Additionally, Younai fruit metabolites were dominated by polyphenols, with flavonols and phenolic acids as the core polyphenol subclasses. This study provides a chemically grounded baseline characterization of Younai flavor. The screened potential aroma-active compounds and metabolite profiles provide a foundation for future sensory validation studies and the development of quality evaluation criteria.