Effects of different temperatures and moistures on neutral aroma components of sun-cured yellow tobacco during fermentation

In order to investigate the effects of different temperature and moisture on neutral aroma components of sun-cured yellow tobacco during fermentation, the prepared leaves (tips and cutters) were fermented at four kinds of treatments for 30 days. The dynamic changes of neutral aroma components were studied by GC-MS during fermentation stages. Neutral aroma components were divided into 6 types according to the precursor: products of aromatic amino acid metabolism, products of Maillard reaction, products degraded by cembratriendid and products degraded by dissolution of carotenoid and neoplytadiene. From the content of neutral aroma components, the content of neoplytadiene was highest, and the following were products of Maillard reaction, products degraded by cembratriendid and products degraded by dissolution of carotenoid, the content of products of aromatic amino acid metabolism was lowest. From the effects of different temperature and moisture, the middle temperature and high moisture for 20-24 days was better, yet neutral aroma components increased slowly under middle temperature and low moisture. The high temperature and middle moisture were not beneficial to neutral aroma components.