Effect of peeling and packaging methods on volatile compounds in pepper (Piper nigrum L.) during storage

Pepper is valued for its flavour and medicinal properties, but there is a lack of comparative studies on the quality of white pepper under different storage conditions, as well as on the dynamic changes of volatiles during storage. To investigate the effects of peeling and packaging on pepper flavour and reveal the dynamic changes of volatiles, this study utilised HS-SPME-GC–MS to analyse the volatiles of white pepper under different peeling and packaging conditions. A total of 22 volatiles were detected, with α-copaene, α-terpineol, and δ-amorphene being predominant to the volatile distinctions, while α-copaene, α-terpineol, and γ-terpinene were predominant to the flavour distinctions. Mechanically peeled pepper stored in conventional packaging for 90 d or in vacuum packaging for 180 d could both uphold great quality. The flavour of manually peeled pepper stored in conventional packaging for 180 d resembled that stored in vacuum condition for 360 d.