The aromatic and chemical complexity of Cannabis sativa (L.) inflorescences are pivotal in cultivar differentiation, sensory perception, and potential therapeutic applications. Although cannabinoids dominate commercial and medicinal focus, there is growing interest in defining chemotypes and the role of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in aroma and overall quality. However, the interplay between cannabinoids, terpenoids, and sensory perception remains insufficiently characterized [1,2]. This study involved an integrative analysis of six commercially available Cannabis sativa cultivars grown in the Southern Italy, incorporating chemical profiling of VOCs and cannabinoids with sensory evaluation.
VOCs were analyzed by GC×GC-MS and cannabinoids quantified via HPLC, while a panel of over 150 untrained participants performed sensory evaluations of inflorescence aroma using descriptive attributes. This approach allowed us to evaluate all the traits through supervised and unsupervised statistical analyses (e.g., PCA, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation) providing a better understanding of cultivar characteristics.
Our results revealed distinct aromatic profiles across the six cultivars, with specific terpenes such as myrcene, limonene and caryophyllene, playing key roles in defining sensory impressions. Cannabinoid content also varied significantly, with the minor cannabinoids contributing to the chemical profile of each cultivar. Notably, the most frequently perceived aroma notes included herbaceous, pine-like, woody and floral descriptors, which were consistent with the presence and relative abundance of key VOCs.
Integrating analytical chemistry with sensory assessment in cannabis characterization provides insights for breeding and quality control while also supporting product standardization and cultivar-specific applications in therapeutic, pharmaceutical, and food science domains.
Dei Cas, M. et al. J Pharm Biomed Anal, 203 (2021), 114180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpba.2021.114180
Fulvio, F. et al. Phytochemistry, 229 (2025), 114294. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2024.114294