Sensory-directed decoding of key aroma compounds from Jiugui-series Baijiu, the representative of Fuyu-flavor-type Baijiu (FFTB)

The key odorants of Jiugui-series Baijiu (Y and R) were explored systematically for the first time by a sensory-directed flavor analysis approach. A total of 144 aroma-active compounds were identified by pH regulated liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) and headspace solid phase microextaction (HS-SPME) combined with gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry (GC-O-MS), and 92 of these were first reported. The aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA) was used for screening the potential important aroma compounds. The overall aroma profiles of Y and R were successfully simulated (similarity = 95.47%, and 90.21%, respectively) by mixing the odorants (OAV ≥ 1) with their natural concentrations in 52% ethanol/water solutions. The omission tests revealed that ethyl acetate, ethyl lactate, ethyl butyrate, ethyl pentanoate, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl octanoate, ethyl dodecanoate, dimethyl trisulfide, acetic acid, propionic acid, butanoic acid, isovaleric acid, hexanoic acid, octanoic acid, and p-cresol were identified as the key aroma compounds. In particular, benzenemethanethiol played an important role in the typical aroma of Y and R, which had a burnt or baked-like odor and was a new finding.