Characteristics of aroma-active compounds in the pectin-elicited suspension culture of Zanthoxylum piperitum (prickly ash)

Zanthoxylum piperitum (prickly ash) was grown as a suspension culture in Schenk and Hildebrandt medium supplemented with 50 g sucrose 1 ^-1 and 0.5 mg 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid 1 ^-1 for 21 days with elicitation by pectin added at day 15. Volatile compounds were extracted from the culture and 3-hydroxy-2-butanone was identified by GC-MS as the most abundant compound, followed by γ-butyrolactone and 2,3-butanedione. 2,3-Butanedione, ethyl 3-methylbutyrate, and ethyl 2-methylpropanoate were identified as the most intense aroma-active compounds and represented the characteristic aroma of the culture.