Unraveling the volatile compounds of Lysimachia foenum-graecum Hance from different origins based on GC-MS and GC-IMS metabolomics

Lysimachia foenum-graecum Hance (LFG), renowned for its potent aroma, is widely utilized as a culinary spice in the food industry. This study employed GC-IMS and GC-MS to analyze samples from four distinct regions: Guangxi (GX), Guizhou (GZ), Sichuan (SC), and Yunnan (YN). The profiling effort led to the identification of 65 and 58 volatile compounds, respectively, with alcohols, esters, and ketones constituting the predominant organic compounds (75%). The GX samples exhibited the highest overall compound content, while SC and YN samples were characterized by the highest ester content. Significant variations in compound concentrations were observed across different sources. PLS-DA identified 19 distinctive volatile markers that differentiate the four regions. Odor activity value (OAV) analysis revealed five key volatile compounds linalool, borneol, estragole, undecanal, and β-Ionone that significantly contribute to the aroma profile. These findings provide valuable insights for the application of LFG in the food industry.