# Effect of Aging Time on the Composition of the Volatile Components of An-tea
## 5 Conclusions  
Of the An-tea samples, HAS, the most aged, contained the smallest number of volatile components, while MAS contained the greatest number and LAS contained an intermediate  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c} \hline \hline
**No.** & **Compound** & **Fragrance** & **No.** & **Compound** & **Fragrance** \\  & & **Description** & & & **Description** \\ \hline \hline
1 & Heptan-2-one & aztique & 11 &
\begin{tabular}{c} (2\(E\),_AE_)-Hepta-2_4_- \\ dienal \\ \end{tabular} & herbaceous fragrance \\ \hline \hline
2 & \begin{tabular}{c} 6-Methylhept-5-en-2- \\ one \\ \end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}{c} aromas of lemongrass \\ and isobutyl acetate \\ \end{tabular} & 12 & \
\begin{tabular}{c} Phenylacetaldehyde \\ \end{tabular} &
\begin{tabular}{c} almond smell, cherry \\ fragrance \\ \end{tabular} \\ \hline
3 & \(\alpha\)-Ionone &
\begin{tabular}{c} violet fragrance, \\ elecampane, aztique \\ \end{tabular} & 13 & Nonanal & fatty aroma, flowery \\ \hline
4 & \(\beta\)-Ionone & \
\begin{tabular}{c} violet fragrance, \\ elecampane, aztique \\ \end{tabular} & 14 & Safranal &
\begin{tabular}{c} elecampane, herbal \\ scent \\ \end{tabular} \\ \hline
5 & Geranylacetone & rose scent & 15 & \(\beta\)-Cyclocitral &
\begin{tabular}{c} aztique, flowery, \\ aroma of green apple \\ \end{tabular} \\ \hline
6 &
\begin{tabular}{c} (E)-4-(2,6,6-Timethyl- \\ 1,3-Cyclohexadien-1- \\ yl)-3-buten-2-one \\ \end{tabular} & fruity scent like pear & 16 & Linalool & rose scent, aztique \\ \hline
7 & 3-methylbutanal & aztique & 17 & Dihydroactinidiolide & elecampane \\ \hline
8 & Hexanal &
\begin{tabular}{c} smell of oil and grass \\ and apple \\ \end{tabular} & 18 & Naphthalene & elecampane \\ \hline
9 & Heptanal & aztique & 19 & 1-Methyllnphthalene & elecampane \\ \hline
10 & Benzaldehyde & almond smell & 20 & 2-Pentylfuran & aztique, herbaceous & fragrance \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table}
Table 6: Aroma characteristics of the 20 volatile compounds found in all 4 samples of An-tea.  
number. The number of volatile substances in the aged samples increased to different degrees with aging time. The volatile compounds in LAS were similar to those in CK but this similarity decreased with increasing aging time. The number of common substances shared by MAS and HAS with CK decreased, while the numbers shared by the aged samples were highly similar. Furthermore, the relative contents of ketones, aldehydes, and alcohols in the three aged samples were generally higher than those of esters, hydrocarbons, nitrogenous compounds, and other compounds, except for esters in HAS and other compounds in MAS. The contents of \(\beta\)-ionone and linalool were high in all four types of An-tea samples, with their relative contents varying from 4.92% to 13.30% and from 4.24% to 9.38%, respectively. These two compounds were considered the key volatile compounds in An-tea and are probably responsible for the characteristic aroma of An-tea. Finally, the comprehensive score for the quality of the volatile substances was highest for MAS and followed by the HAS, LAS, and CK tea samples.  
Conceptualization, T.Y. and Z.G.; methodology, T.Y.; software, S.W.; validation, S.W. and X.S.; formal analysis, D.Z.; investigation, Z.G.; writing--original draft preparation, S.W.; writing--review and editing, T.Y.; project administration, Z.G.; funding acquisition, Z.G. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.  
This research was funded by Major Projects of Natural Science in Colleges and Universities of Anhui Province (grant number KJ2020 ZD60), the Open Research Project of Anhui Simulation Design and Modern Manufacture Engineering Technology Research Center(Huangshan University, grant number SGCZXZD1902) and the Innovation Center of Characteristic Biological Resources Development and Great Health Technology (Huangshan University, grant number kypt202101).  
Not applicable.  
The authors declare no conflict of interest.