Abstract

The volatile components in ‘Fuji’ apple were effectively determined by a headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 48 volatile components were identified and tentatively characterized based on National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) MS spectra library and the Kovats GC retention index I (RI). The harvested Fuji apples were divided into two groups: 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treated and non-treated (control) samples for finding important indicators between two groups. The major volatile components of both apples were 2-methylbutyl acetate, hexyl acetate, butyl 2-methylbutanoate, hexyl butanoate, hexyl 2-methylbutanoate, hexyl hexanoate and farnesene. No significant differences of these major compounds between 1-MCP treated and non-treated apples were observed during 1 month storage. Interestingly, the amount of off-flavors, including 1-butanol and butyl butanoate, in 1-MCP treated apples decreased over 5 months, and then increased after 7 months. However, non-treated apples did not show significant changes for off-flavors during 7 month storage (p<0.05). The non-treated apples also contained the higher levels of two off-flavors than 1-MCP treated apples. These two compounds,