Abstract:To comprehensively understand the influence of column polarity on the analysis of volatile compounds of Fu brick tea, the separation and identification performance of three chromatographic columns with varying polarities (polar column HP-INNOWAX, medium-polarity column DB-35MS, and non-polar column HP-5MS) on the volatile compounds of Fu brick tea were compared. The results indicated that a total of 169 volatile compounds were identified by three chromatographic columns with different polarities, among which 29 volatile compounds were common. HP-INNOWAX, DB-35MS, and HP-5MS identified 77, 66, and 116 volatile compounds, respectively, with unique volatile compounds being 32, 12, and 64 for each column type. In terms of the mass fraction of the identified compounds, HP-INNOWAX provided the highest mass fraction, accounting for 43% of the total compound mass, followed by DB-35MS with 31%, and HP-5MS with the lowest at 26%. Three chromatographic columns with different polarities exhibited specific advantages in the analysis of the volatile compounds in Fu brick tea. The polar column HP-INNOWAX performed best in separating alcohols, the medium-polarity column DB-35MS was the most effective for ketones, and the non-polar column HP-5MS was excelled in separating hydrocarbons, ketones, and aldehydes. The volatile compounds of Fu brick tea are analyzed using chromatographic columns of varying polarities, providing a more comprehensive understanding of its aroma profile and revealing its unique flavor characteristics.