Flavor diversity characterization of three loquat cultivars via flavoromics combined with E-nose and GC × GC-TOF-MS

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are critical determinants of loquat flavor quality and cultivar differentiation, but comprehensive characterization and rapid detection remain challenging. This study aimed to establish a robust approach for discriminating three loquat cultivars and evaluating their flavor quality by integrating electronic nose (E-nose) technology and Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (GC × GC-TOF-MS). GC × GC-TOF-MS was used for VOC profiling, while E-nose was applied for rapid fragrance characterization, with orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) and correlation analysis performed to identify discriminatory compounds and sensor-VOC relationships. GC × GC-TOF-MS identified over 2000 volatile compounds across three loquat cultivars. OPLS-DA further screened 22 discriminatory VOCs with variable importance in projection (VIP) values >1, which contributed to aroma hierarchy shifts among cultivars. E-nose sensors W1W and W1S showed high sensitivity to floral-scent-related VOCs, serving as key factors for distinguishing fragrance quality. Notably, E-nose detection results exhibited good consistency with GC × GC-TOF-MS data, and W1W/W1S sensors were significantly positively correlated with key VOCs. These findings demonstrate that the integration of E-nose and GC × GC-TOF-MS offers complementary advantages for comprehensive VOC characterization and cultivar discrimination. The established approach provides a scientific basis for optimizing loquat quality standards by incorporating VOC-driven biochemical authenticity and a potential efficient method for rapid, non-destructive assessment of postharvest flavor quality in loquat cultivars. These results facilitate quality control and cultivar authentication in the fruit industry.