Metabolic Profile and Volatile Compounds of Four Satsuma Mandarin Varieties

Abstract

Mandarins, with their closely related taste characteristics and ability to change through phenomic and genomic technologies, offer an opportunity for detailed metabolic profiles. The organic acid profile, synephrine, total phenolic and flavonoid content, and carotenoid and volatile profile of four Satsuma mandarin varieties, Saigon, Kawano wase, Okitsu, and Kuno, were determined. The most prevalent organic acid in all four varieties was found to be citric acid, with Saigon having the highest value (11.17 g L^–1). The highest content of synephrine (104.41 mg L^–1) was found in Saigon juice. The levels of individual carotenoids detected in the mandarin peel have the highest values in Saigon, while the pulp of the Kuno variety is the richest in carotenoids. A total of 43 volatile compounds were determined. The most prevalent compounds in all four varieties were ocimene (1.084–262.29 μg kg^–1), β-myrcene (14.56–49.12 μg kg^–1), hexanal (3.70–31.04 μg kg^–1), and α-pinene (0.39–3.48 μg kg^–1).