Characterization and Discrimination of Volatile Compounds in Different Types of Tobacco Extracts Using GC-MS
Hebei China Tobacco Industry Co., Ltd., Shijiazhuang 050051, China
| Abstract: | Flavor quality is a core attribute of tobacco and is closely related to the composition of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are influenced by genetic background, ecological conditions, and curing. To characterize and discriminate the volatile profiles of tobacco from different origins, tobacco samples from Guangdong, Zimbabwe, and Yunnan were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) combined with multivariate statistical analysis. A total of 197 VOCs were identified, including alcohols, ketones, acids, esters, aldehydes, heterocycles, phenols, and alkanes. The number and total content of VOCs differed markedly among origins. Guangdong contained 106 compounds with the highest total content (771.69 mg/kg), dominated by alkenes and acids; Zimbabwe contained 110 compounds (665.42 mg/kg), with ketones and phenols as the most abundant classes; Yunnan contained the largest number of compounds (136) but the lowest total content (576.21 mg/kg) and was richest in alcohols, esters, and heterocycles. Fifty-seven compounds were shared by all three origins, forming a core volatile skeleton, while Yunnan and Zimbabwe shared 94 compounds and Yunnan possessed 34 unique compounds. Principal component analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis clearly separated the three origins, and VIP > 1.0 screening identified 82 differential markers. Terpenes such as p-cymene, ocimene, and pinene were enriched in Yunnan; norisoprenoid ketones and aromatic esters such as β-damascone and benzyl acetate accumulated in Zimbabwe; and short-chain acids such as propanoic acid were higher in Guangdong. Aroma activity evaluation further indicated a shared core aroma skeleton, including β-damascenone, nonanal, and linalool, together with origin-specific aroma notes. These results suggest three ecological chemotypes: Yunnan (terpene/heterocycle-enriched), Zimbabwe (ketone/ester-synergistic), and Guangdong (acid/alcohol-based). p-Cymene, β-damascone, propanoic acid, and maltol are proposed as candidate discriminative indicators for origin identification and flavor-oriented regulation. |
| Keywords: | Tobacco; Volatile Organic Compounds; GC-MS; Multivariate Statistical Analysis; Origin Discrimination; PLS-DA; Aroma-active Compounds; Biomarkers |
| DOI: | 10.57237/j.cse.2026.03.002 |
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Received: 30 September 2026
Accepted: 24 October 2026
Published Online: 2 November 2026
Funding
| 1. | The “Research and Application Project on Low-Temperature Continuous Phase Change Extraction of Volatile Tar Oil from Natural Tobacco Leaves” (Project No. HBZY2024D001) |
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