# Decoding honey-sweet flavored flue-cured tobacco from Guizhou with data science and flavoromics by volatile and cell wall components

## TL;DR

This study uses data science and flavoromics to identify the unique honey-sweet aroma of Guizhou flue-cured tobacco by analyzing volatile and cell wall components.

## Contribution

The study pioneers the integration of machine learning with molecular sensory science to decode regional tobacco flavor characteristics.

## Key findings

- Upper leaf (Grade B) tobacco had higher volatile levels than middle leaf (Grade C).
- β-cyclocitral and 1-nonanal were identified as key aroma compounds distinguishing Guizhou honey-sweet tobacco.
- Machine learning models achieved 96.5% accuracy in distinguishing the origin of flue-cured tobacco.

## Abstract

Nicotiana tabacum L. is often called tobacco. The aroma of flue-cured tobacco (FCT) varies according to the origin and grade. In this study, volatiles and plant cell wall components (CWC) were used to differentiate aroma types and grades of FCT, with a focus on the honey-sweet flavored FCT from Guizhou, China. Volatiles were analyzed by headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, while CWC (cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, lignin) were quantified. Results indicated that upper leaf (Grade B) tobacco contained higher volatile levels than middle leaf (Grade C). Multivariate analyses-Principal component analysis (PCA), orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), and logistic regression (LR) identified 27 key volatiles contributing to aroma differentiation in FCT origin. By combining the screened volatiles with odor activity value, the most important key aroma compounds that distinguish Guizhou honey-sweet flavored from other origins were β-cyclocitral and 1-nonanal. The CWC showed significant variation across origins or grades. Machine learning models (e.g., LR with 96.5% accuracy) effectively distinguished the origin of FCT. This study pioneers the integration of machine learning with molecular sensory science to decode the unique honey-sweet flavor of Guizhou flue-cured tobacco, addressing a critical gap in linking volatile biomarkers to regional terroir. This methodology provides a way to evaluate tobacco quality and aroma characteristics.