Abstract: This research was intended to characterize the aroma components of five different cooked grains used for Chinese liquor production using solid phase micro-extraction (SPME) combined with gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry (GC-O-MS) by NIST database and retention index. A total of 106, 96, 93, 87 and 80 aroma components were identified from cooked sorghum, rice, glutinous rice, wheat and corn, respectively. In addition, GC-olfactometry analysis showed that 26, 20, 20, 15 and 10 odorant compounds were detected in cooked sorghum, rice, glutinous rice, wheat and corn, respectively. The results showed that ethyl caproate, phenethyl alcohol, nonanal, (E)-2-octenal and 2-pentylfuran were the most important aroma-active components, contributing to 0.12%–4.73%, 0.05%–0.55%, 0.06%–1.65%, 0.23%–1.64%, 0.51%–4.82% and 0.06%–1.65% of the total aroma composition, respectively. Cooked sorghum was identified to have the strongest flavor intensity and most diverse composition with the most abundant being esters, aldehydes and ketones among the studied grains. Moreover, terpene was only detected in cooked sorghum. Cooked rice and glutinous rice showed similar aroma composition, both of which were dominated by esters and aldehydes, but cooked wheat and corn produced were less rich in aroma-active compounds with aldehydes being the most predominant. Collectively, the results of the flavor components of the five different cooked grains can provide useful information for selecting raw materials for the production of Chinese liquor.

Key words: raw materials for Chinese liquor, solid phase micro-extraction (SPME), gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry (GC-O-MS), aroma components, aroma-active compounds