Abstract:

The contents of carotenoid and aroma components in red, pink, white flower petals of Rosa damascena were
analyzed and compared. At the same time, the correlation between carotenoid content and aroma components was examined.
The results showed that a total of 57 compounds were primarily identified from Rosa damascene petals, and the characteristic
aroma compounds, citronellol, geraniol, nerol, phenethyl alcohol, ethyl ester, citronellal, ethyl benzoate and α-pinene, were
determined by odor activity value. The carotenoid content of red flowers was the highest, which was (0.013 ± 0.001) mg/g,
followed by pink flowers (0.012 ± 0.003) g/mg, and white flowers had the lowest carotenoid content, (0.009 ± 0.004) mg/g.
On the whole, the carotenoid content in red flowers had positive correlation with the contents of citronellol, geraniol and
octanoic acid ethyl ester, was significantly correlated with the citronellol content, and exhibited negative correlation with the
contents of nerol, benzene ethanol, citronellal and α-pinene. In pink flowers, the carotenoid content was positively correlated
with all the characteristic aroma compounds and the correlation with citronellol, nerol, geraniol and benzene ethanol was
statistically significant. In white flowers, the carotenoid content was positively correlated with the benzene ethanol content,
and negatively correlated with the contents of citronellal, citronellol, geraniol, nerol, α-pinene and octanoic acid ethyl ester;
the correlation with citronellol, geraniol and α-pinene was statistically significant.

Key words: Rosa damascena, carotenoid, characteristic aroma compounds, main aroma component, correlation