Chemical characterization and discovery of novel quality markers in Citrus aurantium L. fruit from traditional cultivation areas in China using GC–MS-based cuticular waxes analysis

Citrus aurantium L. fruit is a commonly used Chinese medicine whose therapeutic effects tends to be affected by growing conditions. In order to gain insights into the effects of growing location on the cuticular wax composition of C. aurantium L. fruit, we analyzed the differences in the wax composition of its fruits collected from different regions. The findings showed that the cuticular waxes in the fruit peels were mainly composed of fatty acids, which differed quantitatively in the chemical profiles of C. aurantium L. samples from different geographical conditions. Particularly, the concentrations of linoleic acid and stearic acid in the total component content of the fruit peel were above 1%, with a greater level in the geo-authentic samples. Thus, GC-MS-based wax analysis was first used for the chemical characterization and quantification of cuticular waxes, which could be considered as a rapid way for evaluating the quality of medicinal fruits.