Insights into the effect of solid-state fermentation on the flavor profile of Fuzhuan brick sea buckthorn leaf tea: A combined analysis by using electronic nose, HS-SPME-GC-MS, and GC-IMS.

Sea buckthorn leaf tea is an herbal beverage made from the leaves of sea buckthorn plant (Hippophae rhamnoides L.). However, the sea buckthorn leaf green tea suffers from drawbacks such as a pronounced grassy odor. In the present study, therefore, the processing techniques for Fuzhuan brick tea were applied to produce Fuzhuan brick sea buckthorn leaf tea, aiming at improving the flavor profile of sea buckthorn leaf tea. In Fuzhuan brick sea buckthorn leaf tea, 105 and 58 volatile compounds, primarily composed of alcohols, aldehydes, esters, and ketones, were identified by HS-SPME-GC-MS and GC-IMS, respectively. With the help of aroma activity value and a random forest classification model, α-terpineol, linalool, nerol, trans-2-nonenal, and methyl salicylate were identified as the key flavor compounds for Fuzhuan brick sea buckthorn leaf tea. These compounds were the primary contributors to the floral, fungal, woody, and minty aromas of Fuzhuan brick sea buckthorn leaf tea.