Abstract:In order to understand the characteristic flavor substances in flesh of pumpkin (Cucurbita sp.), the volatile components and contents in flesh of five pumpkin varieties, including ‘Xinmeiyu’, ‘Baofeng’, ‘Jinmopan’, ‘Jianbao’ and ‘Dongsheng’, were determined by Headspace-solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography- mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS), and the difference of volatile components was analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA). The results showed that there were 68 volatile compounds detected in flesh of five varieties, alcohols, aldehydes and hydrocarbons were dominate. Nonanal, hexanal, trans,trans-2,4-heptadienal, cis-3-nonen-1-ol and 1-hexanol were the main flavor components of pumpkin flesh. Principal component analysis showed that 9 volatile compounds caused the flavor differences in flesh of five varieties. The characteristic flavor components in ‘Jianbao’ and ‘Dongsheng’ were undecanal and trans-2-nonenal, and 1,9-nonanediol in ‘Baofeng’. ‘Jinmopan’ and ‘Xinmeiyu’ were distinguished from other varieties due to relatively high content of 3-nonyne-1-ol. Therefore, characteristic volatile substances provide reference for pumpkin variety improvement and quality evaluation.