Volume 49 Number 3

Investigation of the influence of different origins on the volatile components of chicory roots based on cluster analysis and OPLS-DA

Ruili Li^a, Tong Zhang^a, Yihan Zhang^b, Wenliang Pan^b,*, Feng He^b, Hanshu Wang^b, Rui Wang^b, Weifeng Bao^b

 
ABSTRACT:     To investigate the influence of different origins on the volatile components of chicory roots, headspace solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) was employed to extract and analyze volatile constituents. The content of each component was determined and compared using an internal standard semi-quantitative method, and cluster analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were then applied to examine the differences in volatile components among chicory root samples from different origins. Results indicated that 95 volatile compounds were identified across chicory root samples from different origins, primarily comprising 20 aldehydes, 1 alcohol, 2 acids, 9 esters, 9 ketones, 30 hydrocarbons, 7 phenols, and 17 heterocyclic compounds, with aldehydes and hydrocarbons being the predominant classes. Significant differences were observed in the volatile compounds among chicory root samples from different origins. Among them, the volatile component content was highest in Xinjiang chicory root samples at 3120.98 g/kg, while the lowest was found in Zhejiang chicory root samples at 1228.50 g/kg. Based on OPLS-DA and cluster analysis, chicory roots from different origins could be effectively distinguished. Furthermore, according to the variable importance in projection (VIP values), 39 compounds, including 9-methylicosane, furfural, methyl palmitate, and 5-methylfurfural, were identified as key substances for distinguishing the geographical origins of chicory roots. This study reveals the differences in the composition and content distribution of volatile components in chicory roots from differentorigins, providing a scientific basis for further development of chicory root resources and origin tracing.

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* Corresponding author, E-mail: 18638932481@163.com

Received 14 Jan 2026, Accepted 14 Jul 2026