Pomelo flowers (PFs) enhance the flavor diversity of green tea (GT) and reduce resource wastage, but the aroma-enhancing mechanism was unclear. In this study, electronic-nose and electronic-tongue analyses demonstrated that pomelo flower-green tea (PT) had a richer aroma and taste than GT. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed an increased total volatile content and enhanced floral notes in PT. Specifically, 23 compounds were upregulated and 10 were downregulated in PT. Major odorants (variable importance in projection >1) included linalool, nerolidol, methyl anthranilate, and indole. PT also showed elevated free amino acids, particularly theanine and glutamic acid, which intensified its umami and aftertaste. Seven volatile compounds that migrated from PFs to GT (compounds not originally present in GT) interacted with umami taste receptors via hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions, thereby shaping the umami profile of PT. This study clarifies the flavor formation of PT and supports the development of scented tea.

This study involved developing a novel lemon flower-scented white tea (LT) through multiple aroma-imparting cycles, and taking an integrated approach to investigating its flavour formation mechanism. Sensory evaluation and electronic tongue analysis revealed that the LT exhibited more balanced taste characteristics, with significantly reduced bitterness and astringency, attributed to the decreased caffeine content and conversion of esterified catechins. Electronic nose and HS-SPME/GC-MS results confirmed that the LT had acquired a distinctive aroma characterised by floral and citrus notes, primarily originating from lemon flower volatiles such as methyl anthranilate and limonene. Multivariate statistical analysis identified 32 key differential compounds (variable importance in projection value > 1), with methyl anthranilate, β-ionone, and geraniol (relative odour activity value > 80) jointly forming the shared flavour base among teas. These findings demonstrate that lemon flower infusion can effectively enhance the sensory quality of white tea and provide theoretical support for the development of diverse floral teas.

Newhall navel orange, a major citrus variety in China, shows considerable variation in fruit quality across production regions. To investigate the key factors driving the geographical variation, this study systematically compared the quality of Newhall navel oranges from 13 production areas and analyzed the relationships between volatile metabolites and climate variables. Our results revealed pronounced regional differences in both fruit physicochemical properties and volatile profiles. Total soluble solids, titratable acid content, and peel color parameters (L*, a*, b*) were identified as the core physicochemical indicators most strongly associated with quality variation. Using headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS), 106 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were identified, of which 56 were selected as potential differential markers via partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). Correlation analysis and partial least squares regression (PLSR) revealed that annual mean wind speed (AMWS), mean diurnal temperature variation at the expansion stage (MDTV-ES), and mean wind speed, total sunshine duration, mean diurnal temperature variation at the degreening stage (MWS-DS, TSD-DS, MDTV-DS) were important meteorological factors related to volatile metabolism. The study clarified the geographical variations in physicochemical characteristics and volatile profiles of Newhall navel oranges, as well as the key climatic factors linked to volatile metabolism, providing a crucial theoretical basis for site-specific cultivation planning, demarcation of high-quality production areas, and targeted quality regulation of citrus varieties.