Regional quality differences in Zanthoxylum bungeanum using sensor-based analysis and climate factors.

Zanthoxylum bungeanum (red pepper) is a widely used spice in the Rutaceae family, yet its quality varies markedly among production regions due to the absence of a standardized evaluation system. Here, we integrated multi-dimensional analyses (electronic nose/tongue, GC-MS, HPLC) with PCA-entropy modeling to elucidate climate-quality linkages across eight core production areas. Correlation analysis classified these areas into three distinct climate types, each strongly associated with key fruit quality indicators. Notably, primary aroma compounds (e.g., limonene, myrcene) were closely linked to annual precipitation, while the main flavor metabolite, hydroxy-α-sanshool, exhibited significant positive correlations with average annual temperature and sunshine duration. This study provides a preliminary basis for objective quality differentiation of red pepper from different regions, which may contribute to future development of standardized evaluation frameworks.