Abstract: The volatile flavor components of fried Zanthoxylum bungeanum oil from 17 geographical origins were identified by headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results showed that a total of 55 volatile flavor components (18 of which were common to all oil samples) were identified, including 22 hydrocarbons, 17 aldehydes and ketones, 9 alcohols, 5 esters and 2 other substances. Odor activity value (OAV) analysis showed that linalool, eucalyptol, myrcene and limonene were the key aroma substances in fried Z. bungeanum oil. Through principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discrimination analysis (PLS-DA), a discriminant model for the classification of fried Z. bungeanum oil samples according to geographical origin was established, and eight key differential flavor substances were selected using the model, namely phellandrene, ocimene, linalool, eucalyptol, linalyl acetate, (-)-β-pinene, p-cymene and myrcene. The 17 oil samples were divided into four categories according to the aroma substances. Production area and cultivar were important factors for the difference in the aroma of fried Z. bungeanum oil. The results of this study will provide a theoretical reference for the quality evaluation and geographical origin discrimination of Z. bungeanum oil on the market.

Key words: fried Zanthoxylum bungeanum oil; key aroma substances; headspace solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; different production areas; partial least squares-discrimination analysis