Characterization of Key Aroma Compounds of Zhuyeqing by Aroma Extract Dilution Analysis, Quantitative Measurements, Aroma Recombination, and Omission Studies

Zhuyeqing is a flavored liquor with a unique flavor blended with Qingxiangxing Baijiu (Fenjiu) and botanical extracts. The aroma characteristics of Zhuyeqing were investigated using a sensomics approach. Ninety-three odorants, among them 64 odorants with flavor dilution (FD) ≥ 32, were confirmed in Zhuyeqing by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/olfactometry (GC-MS/O) analysis. Quantitative analysis revealed that 22 odorants with odor activity values (OAVs) ≥ 1. Aroma recombination tests showed that 22 odorants with OAV ≥ 1 can recombine the aroma characteristics of Zhuyeqing; omission tests revealed that ethyl cinnamate, ethyl octanoate, ethyl acetate, β-damascenone, and eugenol with OAV ≥ 10 had significant effects on Zhuyeqing.