Characteristic aroma compounds and relative activity values of five monofloral honeys analyzed using HS-SPME/GCxGC-TOFMS and chemometric methods

Discriminating aroma characteristics is crucial for authenticating honey. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of five monofloral honeys from Luoping (Yunnan, China) by examining the correlation between volatile compounds and aroma using HS-SPME/GCxGC-TOFMS combined with chemometrics. We identified a total of 137 volatile components in the honeys, 68 of which (VIP >1) were key to distinguishing among the five types. From these, 32 key aroma components were selected, imparting fruity, flowery, woody/ nutty, fatty/oily, and pungent notes to the honeys. Specifically, DH, RH, and SH are floral honeys, with DH having the richest aroma, RH exhibiting a slight fertilization and baking smell, CH being fruity, and PH having both floral and fruity fragrances. Additionally, nine characteristic flavor compounds were identified. These findings reveal the volatile and aroma features of the five types of monofloral honeys from Luoping (Yunnan, China), providing valuable reference data for their comprehensive development, authentication, and evaluation.