Volatile Profiling and Aroma Characterization of Commercial Mulberry Leaf Teas

Mulberry leaf tea (MLT) has gained increasing attention as a functional beverage; however, its aroma quality evaluation remains limited due to insufficient characterization of volatile profiles and aroma-active compounds. In this study, the volatile compositions of ten commercial MLT products were systematically investigated using headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). A total of 123 volatile compounds were identified and classified into alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, hydrocarbons, terpenoids, and other groups, with considerable variations observed among commercial products. Odor activity value (OAV) analysis revealed that 45 compounds exhibited OAV values ≥ 1, indicating their potential contribution to MLT aroma characteristics. Terpenoid and norisoprenoid compounds, including linalool, trans-β-ionone, trans-β-damascenone, and β-ionone, showed high odor activity and were associated with floral, fruity, and woody notes. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) differentiated commercial MLT products, and five volatile compounds (limonene, p-cymene, eucalyptol, trans-β-ionone, and benzeneacetaldehyde) were identified as potential discriminative markers. This study provides comprehensive insights into the volatile profiles of commercial MLT products and identifies aroma-active compounds for aroma evaluation and product differentiation.