Abstract: In this study, the volatile components in loquat flesh from 7 white-fleshed cultivars and 15 red-fleshed cultivars were determined by head-space solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS). Then the volatile compounds were analyzed and classified by principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA). The results showed that the classes of volatile compounds detected in the flesh of ripe loquat from 22 cultivars were aldehydes, olefins, alcohols, ketones, esters and other compounds. Aldehydes were the main volatile components of loquat flesh. Esters, ketones, and alcohols were important characteristic flavor components in different cultivars of loquat. Hexanal was the most abundant volatile compound. A total of 65 volatile components were identified from 7 white-fleshed cultivars, 14 of which were common to the cultivars. Camphene, caryophyllene oxide and 2-methyl- butanoic acid were found to be unique to the white-fleshed cultivars. A total of 81 volatile components were detected from 15 red-fleshed cultivars with 10 of them being common to these cultivars. Dimethyl heptenal, E-2,4-decadienal, E-β-ocimene, 3-carene, butanediol, Z-3-hexenol, 1-dodecanol, phytosterone, hexyl acetate, methyl salicylate, linalyl butyrate, methyl geranate, neryl acetate, ethyl cinnamate, thymol, and eugenol were uniquely found in the red-fleshed cultivars. Loquats with different flesh colors differed mainly in alcohols and esters. The contents of apo-carotenoids including β-cyclic citral, geranyl acetone, and β-ionone in red-fleshed loquat were significantly higher than those in white-fleshed loquat. PCA and CA classified all white-flesh cultivars except ‘Guanyu’ and ‘Wugongbai’ into one group. Nonanal made the highest contribution to the flavor of loquat flesh.

Key words: loquat, volatile components, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)