ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Chem.
Sec. Analytical Chemistry
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fchem.2025.1633850
Decoding key aroma components of three cigar tobacco leaves based on molecular sensory science
Provisionally accepted
xiaowei zhang1
Shuqi Wang2Ke Zhang1Liang Feng2Anchuan Xu3Risheng Zhong2Dan Chen1Chunqiong Wang1Jiwu Zhang1Yueying Wan4Jie Long1*
Chen Haitao2*- 1Yunnan Tobacco Quality Inspection & Supervision Station, Kunming, Yunnan, China, China
- 2Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing, China
- 3Technology Center, China Tobacco Yunnan Industrial Co., Ltd, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- 4Honghe Prefecture Company of Yunnan Tobacco Company, Honghe, Yunnan, China
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Cigar is a flavor-dependent cash crop. However, the key aroma compounds of tobacco leaves are less studied. In this study, we used molecular sensory science to explore the key aroma compounds of cigar tobacco leaves from three different origins in Yunnan, China. The results showed that a total of 33 aroma compounds were quantitatively analyzed in the three tobaccos, among which there were eight key aroma components in YXYY, eight in DHYY, and four in PEYY with odor activity value(OAV)≥1 and flavor dilution(FD)≥2. Through recombination and omission experiments, the key aroma actives were further identified as phytol, acetic acid, isovaleric acid, 3methylpentanoic acid, and (E)-5-isopropyl-8-methylnona-6,8-dien-2-one in YXYY, styrene, (E)-5isopropyl-8-methylnona-6,8-dien-2-one, irisone, and phytol in DHYY, and acetic acid, styrene, and phytol in PEYY. In conclusion the present study revealed the key aroma compounds and their differences in cigar tobacco from three different origins. It provides insights for a comprehensive exploration of the unique flavors of cigars.
Keywords: cigar, Key aroma components, Gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry, molecular sensory science, Aroma recombination
Received: 23 May 2025; Accepted: 16 Jun 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 zhang, Wang, Zhang, Feng, Xu, Zhong, Chen, Wang, Zhang, Wan, Long and Haitao. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Jie Long, Yunnan Tobacco Quality Inspection & Supervision Station, Kunming, Yunnan, China, China
Chen Haitao, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing, China
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.