Volatile odor characterization of electrohydrodynamically (EHD) dried garlic products based on HS-GC-IMS and HS-SPME-GC-MS.

This study systematically investigated the impact of electrohydrodynamic (EHD) drying, hot air drying (HAD), and air drying (AD) on volatile organic compounds (VOCs), bioactive constituents, and structural properties of garlic slices. Through complementary analysis using HS-SPME-GC-MS and HS-GC-IMS, 56 and 109 VOCs were respectively characterized, with EHD demonstrating superior retention of sulfides, lipid-derived compounds, ketones, and terpenes, while HAD and AD favored alcohol accumulation. Quantitative HPLC revealed EHD significantly enhanced diallyl disulfide (DADS) and trisulfide (DATS) levels (4.97-12.37-fold vs. AD, p < 0.05), attributed to its non-thermal mechanism. Structural analyses revealed EHD preserved protein secondary structures (8-20% higher ordered conformations) compared to thermally degraded HAD samples. Optimization studies identified 17 kV as optimal for bioactive retention, whereas 21 kV achieved maximal drying efficiency (Deff = 3.24 ± 0.17 × 10-10 m2/s, 6.5 h), albeit inducing membrane disruption and plasma-mediated VOC losses. These findings reveal the drying characteristics and flavor formation mechanisms of garlic during electrohydrodynamic drying.