Abstract: The volatile flavor substances of noodles incorporated with potato flour to replace wheat flour at different levels were determined by electronic nose analysis combined with headspace solid phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). The effects of potato flour and noodle types (fresh and dried) on the flavor and volatile odor of cooked noodles were studied by using two-way analysis of variance, principal component analysis, cluster analysis and loading analysis. The electronic nose was found to be effective in accurately distinguishing noodles with different amounts of added potato flour. The volatile odor of 6 kinds of noodles differed mainly in inorganic sulfur compounds and short-chain alkanes. Aldehydes were found to be the main flavor compounds of noodles. With increasing amount of potato flour addition, the volatile odor of noodles was enhanced significantly, and the flavor compounds in fresh noodles become more abundant. The fresh and dried noodles incorporated with 20% potato flour showed similarities in odor, but there were still differences in the content of flavor substances. The top three most abundant volatile flavor compounds were hexanal, n-hexanol and 2-pentylfuran in the fresh potato flour incorporated noodles; and 2-pentylfuran, hexanal and (E)-2-nonenal in the dried potato flour incorporated noodles. Both the types of noodles and the addition of potato flour significantly affected the flavor of noodles, with the latter being more effective than the former. Geranyl acetone was found only in the potato flour incorporated noodles, which was directly related to the addition of potato flour to the recipe. The results showed that the addition of potato flour had a great effect on the volatile flavor of noodles.

Key words: potato flour incorporated noodles, flavor substances, headspace solid phase microextraction, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, electronic nose