Characterization and comparative study of the key odorants in Caoyuanwang mild-flavor style Baijiu using gas chromatography–olfactometry and sensory approaches

Caoyuanwang Baijiu (CYW), a mild-flavor style Baijiu (MSB), is popular in northern China. However, there is a lack of studies reporting its aroma-active components. The aroma compounds of five CYW samples were analyzed using gas chromatography-olfactory-mass spectrometry coupled with aroma extraction dilution analysis. Fifty-five aroma-active compounds were identified in CYW, of which 27 had odor activity values ≥ 1. Reconstituted models successfully simulated the aroma profiles of CYW. The omission tests elucidated that β-damascenone, dimethyl trisulfide, ethyl pentanoate, butanoic acid, ethyl acetate, 3-methylbutanal, ethyl lactate, hexanoic acid, γ-nonalactone, 3-hydroxy-2-butanone, ethyl butanoate, 1-propanol, 4-(ethoxymethyl)-2-methoxy-phenol, and vanillin were key odorants in CYW. The addition test confirmed the significant influence of dimethyl trisulfide on Chen-aroma note. Nine key odorants were identified as the differential quality-markers, and 85.71% key odorants were predicted using the partial least square regression (PLSR) analysis, indicating the applicability of PLSR in selecting the target compounds for omission tests.