Abstract:

The volatile compounds of hawthorn vinegar were extracted by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HSSPME),
identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and finally quantified by using peak area
normalization method. A total of 49 compounds were isolated, 36 of which were structurally identified, accounting for
98.91% of the total volatile substances. These volatile compounds included 11 esters, 6 acids, 11 alcohols, 1 aldehyde, 2
ketones, and 5 other components. The order of volatile compounds that contributed to the flavor of hawthorn vinegar was
esters (40.12%), acids (33.63%), alcohols (21.79%), aldehydes (0.05%), ketenes (0.57%), and other components (1.55%).
The main flavor components of hawthorn vinegar were acetic acid, ethyl acetate, ethyl alcohol, acetate -3-methyl-1-butanol,
benzoic acid-ethyl ester, 3-methyl-1-butanol, hexanoic acid-ethyl ester, hexanoic acid, benzenecarboxylic acid, acetic acid-
1-methypropyl ester, 2-butanol, phenylethyl alcohol, octanoic acid, and 2-methoxy-4-methy-phenol, which were jointly
responsible for the unique aroma characteristics of hawthorn vinegar. This study provides a scientific basis and theoretical
reference for establishing an evaluation system for aroma characteristics of hawthorn vinegar.

Key words: hawthorn vinegar, volatile compounds, headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)