Analysis of volatile flavour compounds in different potato varieties and regions and the effect of soil elements on starch content

This study aims to analyze the differences in flavor compounds of potatoes from various varieties and regions, as well as to explore the impact of soil elements on starch content in potatoes. Headspace solid-phase micro-extraction/gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC–MS) was employed to identify volatile flavor compounds in 18 potatoes representing 4 different varieties from 5 different regions. The relative odor activity (rOAV) was utilized for principal component analysis to establish a comprehensive scoring model for potato volatile flavor compounds. In addition, the starch and amylose content of the potatoes were determined using enzymatic methods, and the correlation between soil elements and starch content in Dingxi potatoes was analyzed. The results indicated that the flavor scores for the samples “DX-DP,” “DX-LS,” “NM-XY,” “JB-LS,” “ZB-XS,” and “GY-LS” were 15.184, 14.500, 13.992, −4.62, −7.199 and − 9.525, respectively, with “DX-DP” exhibiting the highest flavor score (15.184) and starch content (15.21 %). This study demonstrated that the overall quality of potatoes from Dingxi was superior, particularly for “DX-DP”. Further analysis revealed that potato starch content was positively correlated with soil potassium and negatively correlated with total nitrogen and pH. In conclusion, this study provides insights into the relationship between potato genotypes and soil environments, offering valuable guidance for potato land selection and cultivation practices.