GC–MS Analysis and Volatile Profile Comparison for the Characteristic Smell from<i>Liang-wai Gan Cao</i>(<i>Glycyrrhiza uralensis</i>) and Honey-Roasting Products

Abstract

The characteristic smell of Liang-wai Gan Cao (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) and honey-roasting products was comprehensively analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Steam distillation and headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) were used to extract volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Multiple fibers of SPME may reflect the samples' comprehensive information to the greatest extent, depending on their chemical characters. After chemometric resolution and spectra interpretation, many aroma compounds could be identified from GC-MS data. As a result, principal component analysis was set for the differentiation of several G. uralensis samples in different regions, and some important peaks could be found. Next, VOCs' profiles of honey-roasting products suggested that the flavors could be influenced by honey and pharmaceutical technologies.