Analysis of volatile compounds as quality indicators for Fuji apples after cold storage

Changes in the volatile components in Fuji apples were investigated by the analysis of intact apples using headspace solid‐phase microextraction–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry to assess their quality during long‐term storage at 4°C (3, 6, and 9 months). Three alcohols and 28 esters were identified, and the feeding of precursor alcohols (e.g., butanol, hexanol, and 2‐methylbutanol) resulted in significantly increased amounts of eight esters. Among these esters, the peak area ratios (PARs) of butyl acetate, butyl butanoate, butyl 2‐methylbutanotate, or 2‐methylbutyl acetate to the eight esters were highly correlated with those of their precursor alcohols to the total alcohol content (R2 ≥ .9253). In addition, the PAR of precursor alcohols to the total alcohol content, as well as the PAR of these esters to the eight esters, significantly increased during storage at 4°C (p