Abstract: To analyze the effect of fruit color and ripening on the volatile profile of cherry tomatoes, the volatile compositions of the inbred lines Jinzhu (orange), Heiyingtao 1 (purple), 1 Hao (pink), and Hongzhenzhu (red), were measured at the mature green, turning and red stages by headspace solid-phase micro-extraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). The volatile content of orange tomato fruit was significantly higher than that of red and pink tomato fruit at each stage. The highest content of volatiles appeared in the orange tomato fruit at the mature green stage and in purple tomato fruits at the turning and red stages, and the lowest content of volatiles was always observed in pink tomato fruits during the whole period. The intensity of volatile odor was determined by the concentration and olfactory threshold of volatiles. 3-Methyl-butanal, (E,E)-24-heptadienal, 1-penten-3-one, hexanal, benzaldehyde, and (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol contributed significantly to tomato odor. The strongest odor was observed in red, orange, and purple tomato fruit at the mature green, turning and red stages, respectively. With fruit ripening, the concentration of total volatile components was increased, and the odor became stronger. In conclusion, fruit color and ripeness have a significant effect on the volatile profile of cherry tomatoes.

Key words: Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme; aromatic compounds; odor; fruit color; maturity