The flavor of fried green onion oil (Allium fistulosum L.) is widely applied and popular in Chinese cuisine. This work aimed to explore the effects of different varieties of vegetable oils on the flavor profile generation of fried green onion oil. The volatile flavor components of seven different kinds of fried green onion oils, i.e., soybean oil, palm oil, olive oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, camellia oil, and colza oil, were identified and analyzed by sensory analysis, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and electronic nose. The results showed that sensory analysis and electronic nose were accepted to detect the odor diversities of different kinds of fried green onion oil sensitively. A total of 103 volatile flavor components were identified positively, and the key aromas included aldehydes and sulfur-containing compounds that correlated highly with green grass, oily, pungent and shallot scent attributes. Meanwhile, fatty acid compositions showed that there were no significant changes in the types of fatty acids before and after frying, but the relative content was not different. Accordingly, the unsaturated fatty acids (UFA, C18:1, C18:2, C18:3, and C20:1) had a significant influence on the flavor of frying oil, which was peculiarly prone to oxidation and heat degradation reactions. These results provided a theoretical basis for further application of fried onion flavor in the food industry.
Keywords: flavor; fried oil; green onion (Allium fistulosum L.); vegetable oil.