Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Feb 13;14(4):627.
doi: 10.3390/foods14040627.

Characterization of Volatile Compounds and Odorants in Different Sichuan Pepper Varieties in Tallow Hotpot

Wenhua Li  1 , Qiaojun Wang  1 , Huilin Huan  1 , Gangcheng Wu  1 , Qingzhe Jin  1 , Youfeng Zhang  2 , Xingguo Wang  1
Affiliations

Characterization of Volatile Compounds and Odorants in Different Sichuan Pepper Varieties in Tallow Hotpot

Wenhua Li et al. Foods. .

Abstract

Sichuan pepper plays a vital role in enhancing the flavor of hotpot. However, the specific flavor compounds involved are still unclear. In this study, the key aroma components of Sichuan pepper tallow hotpot were explored. Six aroma attributes were evaluated by quantitative descriptive sensory analysis (QDA). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) identified 56 compounds. Among them, a total of 27 aroma-active compounds were identified by gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) and aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA). Sixteen aroma-active compounds were determined using odor activity values (OAVs) ≥ 1. Linalool, linalyl acetate, D-limonene, sabinene, β-myrcene, eucalyptol, α-terpineol, terpinen-4-ol, acetic acid, (E,E)-2,4-decadienal, (E)-2-heptenal, and others were identified as the key aroma compounds. Chemometrics analysis indicated that the aroma of green Sichuan pepper tallow hotpot was green, and the aroma of different red Sichuan pepper tallow hotpots varied significantly. The research results serve as a foundation for the quality control and production of the hotpot industry.

Keywords: GC-MS; Sichuan hotpot; Sichuan pepper; chemometrics analysis; volatile compounds.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Radar map for sensory evaluation of flavor of Sichuan pepper tallow hotpot.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Differences of volatile compounds in six Sichuan pepper tallow hotpots. (A) The relative content percentage of volatile compounds categories. (B) The average relative volatile compounds content in each category.
Figure 3
Figure 3
PCA and OPLS-DA of volatile compounds from six Sichuan pepper tallow hotpots. (A) PCA. (B) HCA. (C) OPLS-DA. (D) Distribution plot. (E) VIP analysis.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Volatile compounds in six Sichuan pepper tallow hotpots of heat map analysis.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Correlation between sensory descriptors and volatile compounds by PLSR.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Zhang J., Yu L., Han N., Wang D.M. Characterization of phenolic chemotypes, anatomy, and histochemistry of Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim. Ind. Crop. Prod. 2023;193:116149. doi: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2022.116149. - DOI
    1. Zhang D., Sun X.X., Battino M., Wei X.O., Shi J.Y., Zhao L., Liu S., Xiao J.B., Shi B.L., Zou X.B. A comparative overview on chili pepper (Capsicum genus) and sichuan pepper (Zanthoxylum genus): From pungent spices to pharma-foods. Trends Food Sci. Technol. 2021;117:148–162. doi: 10.1016/j.tifs.2021.03.004. - DOI
    1. Wang B., Wu W., Liu J., Soladoye O.P., Ho C.T., Zhang Y.H., Fu Y. Flavor mystery of spicy hot pot base: Chemical understanding of pungent, numbing, umami and fragrant characteristics. Trends Food Sci. Technol. 2023;139:104137. doi: 10.1016/j.tifs.2023.104137. - DOI
    1. Luo J.J., Ke J.X., Hou X.Y., Li S.S., Luo Q.Y., Wu H.J., Shen G.H., Zhang Z.Q. Composition, structure and flavor mechanism of numbing substances in Chinese prickly ash in the genus Zanthoxylum: A review. Food Chem. 2022;373:131454. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.131454. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Ivane N.M.A., Haruna S.A., Zekrumah M., Elyse F.K.R., Hassan M.O., Hashim S.B.H., Tahir H.E., Zhang D. Composition, mechanisms of tingling paresthesia, and health benefits of Sichuan pepper: A review of recent progress. Trends Food Sci. Technol. 2022;126:1–12. doi: 10.1016/j.tifs.2022.05.012. - DOI

LinkOut - more resources