Application of HS-SPME-GC-MS combined with electronic nose technology in the odor recognition of pseudostellariae radix

Correct identification of the substance basis of Pseudostellariae Radix (PR) odor is important not only for the quality control of the products, but also for the safety of the consumers. PR is often described with a special smell, such as strange, moldy or earthy. Electronic nose-based technology coupled with headspace solid phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) was used to investigate the volatile components in PR from 47 germplasms cultivated in traditional fields. A total of 48 common compounds were identified based on HS- SPME-GC-MS technology, and 25 of them with aroma characteristics were found based on Alpha soft 13.4. The 1-Octen-3-ol, geosim, (E)-2-nonenal and 1- methylnaphthalene as contributing marker compounds of the ‘specific smell’ of PR were identified. The odor recognition mode, with demonstrated excellent accuracy in recognition abilities, enabled the correct identification of commercial samples including complex mixtures.