Integrating E -nose, E -tongue, and HS-SPME-GC-MS analysis reveals the volatile profile and flavor characteristics of different Wampee ( Clausena lansium (Lour.) Skeels).

Abstract

Wampee (Clausena lansium), a nutrient-rich tropical fruit in the Rutaceae family, is prized across southern China and Southeast Asia for its distinctive sweet-tart flavor and aromatic complexity, yet the chemical basis of its varietal divergence remains poorly characterized. Here, we present a multi-platform integrated flavor-omics strategy that combines electronic nose profiling, electronic tongue sensing, and headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) to systematically resolve the volatile and taste architectures of three representative wampee cultivars-'Shanhuangpi', 'Bingtangxin', and 'Heijingang'-across peel and flesh tissues. Electronic nose analysis revealed that the first two principal components explained 90.98% of the total variance among the six sample groups, with linear discriminant analysis achieving 100% classification accuracy driven predominantly by long-chain alkane, sulfur-containing, and methylated volatile classes. Electronic tongue profiling identified sourness, sweetness, and aftertaste-astringency as the primary discriminants, and uncovered a consistent tissue-partitioning pattern whereby flesh tissues are enriched in sourness and sweetness, whereas peel accumulates astringency and bitterness. HS-SPME-GC-MS identified 288 volatile compounds spanning 15 chemical classes, with terpenoids constituting 28.82% of the total volatile pool. Odor activity value (OAV) analysis of 57 quantitated volatiles identified five key odorants-myristicin (4-Methoxy-6-(2-Propenyl)-1,3-Benzodioxole), estragole, damascenone, linalool, and myrcene-that collectively define the characteristic balsamic, floral, spicy, woody, and fruity sensory notes of wampee. Partial least squares-discriminant analysis robustly segregated peel from flesh (R2Y = 0.833, Q2 = 0.647), with 96 volatile metabolites significantly up-regulated in peel and enriched in monoterpene hydrocarbons. KEGG pathway enrichment-an indirect inference from volatile end-products-indicated that terpenoid backbone, monoterpenoid, and sesquiterpenoid/triterpenoid biosynthesis are the principal routes plausibly governing tissue-specific aroma formation. These findings establish a foundation for wampee quality assessment, cultivar authentication, and flavor-oriented breeding.

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