Discrimination between raw and ginger juice processed Fructus Gardeniae based on UHPLC‐Q‐TOF‐MS and Heracles NEO ultra‐fast gas phase electronic nose

Abstract Introduction Fructus Gardeniae (ZZ), a traditional Chinese herb, has been used in treating patients with jaundice, inflammation, etc. When mixed with ginger juice and stir‐baked, ginger juice‐processed Fructus Gardeniae (JZZ) is produced, and the chemical compositions in ZZ would be changed by adding the ginger juice. Objective To illuminate the differential components between ZZ and JZZ. Methods HPLC, UHPLC‐Q‐TOF‐MS, and Heracles NEO ultra‐fast gas phase electronic nose were applied to identify the differential components between ZZ and JZZ. Results HPLC fingerprints of ZZ and JZZ were established, and 24 common peaks were found. The content determination results showed that the contents of shanzhiside, geniposidic acid, genipin‐1‐β‐D‐gentiobioside and geniposide increased, while the contents of crocin I and crocin II decreased in JZZ. By UHPLC‐Q‐TOF‐MS, twenty‐six possible common components were inferred, among which 11 components were different. In further investigation, eight components were identified as the possible distinctive non‐volatile compounds between ZZ and JZZ. By Heracles NEO ultra‐fast gas phase electronic nose, four substances were inferred as the possible distinctive volatile compounds in JZZ. Conclusion Shanzhiside, caffeic acid, genipin‐1‐β‐D‐gentiobioside, geniposide, rutin, crocin I, crocin II, and 4‐Sinapoyl‐5‐caffeoylquinic acid were identified as the possible differential non‐volatile components between ZZ and JZZ. Aniline, 3‐methyl‐3‐sulfanylbutanol‐1‐ol, E‐3‐octen‐2‐one, and decyl propaonate were inferred as the possible distinctive volatile compounds in JZZ. This experiment explored a simple approach with objective and stable results, which would provide new ideas for studying decoction pieces with similar morphological appearance, especially those with different odors.