Evaluation of Aroma Quality of Flue-cured Tobacco with Different Harvesting Maturity

Aroma quality characteristics and contribution of main aroma components were analyzed using 3 methods inclusing sensory evaluation, electronic nose test and GC-MS to evaluate the aroma quality of flue-cured tobacco with different maturities. The results showed that flue-cured tobacco leaves with 70%-80% yellowing showed better smoking quality than that of 80%-90% yellowing but had no difference from leaves with 60%-70% yellowing. Neophytadiene content was determined by GC-MS and was in coincidence with the results of smoking evaluation. Neophytadiene probably plays an important role in promotion of the whole aroma quality. The carotenoid degradation products 5,6-epoxyionone, 2-methyl-2-heptene-6-ketone and isophorone, the phenylalanine degradation products benz aldehyde, benzyl alcohol and 4-ethenyl-2-methoxy phenol, and the Maillard reaction products 5-methyl furfural and pyrazine, 3-methyl-2-cyclopentene-1-ketone, as well as other aroma components including γ-butyrolactone, were probably the key aroma components that contributed to the whole aroma quality. Electronic nose, which can preliminarily identify the whole aroma quality of different samples at high level, suggesting that electronic nose test can be used as an effective and assistant way in evaluating whole aroma quality of flue-cure tobacco, which could improve the reliability of aroma-evaluating.