Aroma volatile profiles of flavored cashew tea with licorice root addition

The flavor volatile compounds of dried red cashew flowers, cashew leaf-buds, cashew leaves and licorice roots as well as flavored herb teas were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS). It was found that terpenes, including α-pinene, α-phellandrene and β-phellandrene were the main volatiles in the cashew leaf-buds and leaves. The major volatile compounds of the red cashew flowers were 3-butyn-1-ol, acetic acid, benzyl alcohol and β-caryophyllene. The contents of 2-propanol,1,1’-oxybis and pentanedioic acid of the tray-dried flowers were higher than in the freeze-dried flowers, whereas (Z)-3-hexan-1-ol, ethanone, benzyl nitrile and benzyl tiglate were presented at highest concentrations in the freeze-dried flowers. 3-Butyn-1-ol was the main component in dried licorice roots. Flavored cashew tea formula A (a mixture of 70% freeze-dried cashew flowers, 12.5% cashew leaf-buds, 12.5% cashew leaves and 5% licorice roots) contained total volatile contents higher than tea formula B (a mixture of 70% tray-dried cashew flowers, 12.5% cashew leaf-buds, 12.5% cashew leaves and 5% licorice roots). However, 2-propen-1-ol, 3-phenyl was not found in tea formula A, while benzyl tiglate was not detected in tea formula B. Tea formula A contained more volatiles in the alcohol, ketone and ester classes than tea formula B. The classification of two formula flavored herb teas was presented. There are some differences in the signal response of each sensor for two grade flavored herb teas. Two grades of flavored herb tea were discriminated using electronic tongue (e-tongue). The results of discrimination function analysis (DFA) and principal component analysis (PCA) displayed that the grades of tea samples were discriminated.