The scent of time: Analyzing the differences in volatile organic compounds of camellia oleifera oil with different oil-tea tree ages using GC–IMS and GC–MS

Abstract

Camellia oleifera oil (CO) is renowned in China for its exceptional nutritional benefits and distinctive aroma. The aroma of old CO from oil-tea tree ages over 30 years differs markedly from that of young CO aged below 8 years. However, the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and aroma characteristics of CO from oil-tea tree at different ages remain unclear. This study identified 82 VOCs using GC-IMS and 112 VOCs using GC–MS. PCA, PLS-DA, correlation analysis, and VIP values revealed distinct VOC profiles between CO obtained from young and old oil-tea tree. The principal characteristic VOCs of CO from young oil-tea tree (4 and 8 years) were 3-methyl-3-buten-1-ol (sweet fruit) and 3-methylbutyl propanoate (apple, apricot, and pineapple). Moreover, the predominant characteristic VOCs of CO from old oil-tea tree (30, 40, and 50 years) were 4-methyl-2-pentanol (pungent), butyl acetate (apple and banana), limonene (lemon and orange), and 2-ethyl-6-methylpyrazine (green, nuts, and roasted).