3.1 Qualitative analysisThe total number of volatile compounds found in sea buckthorn juice varies among published data [8-12] and this study reports the highest number of compounds found so far, but there is annual variation. In 2011, a total of 74, 89, 72 volatile compounds were extracted from 3 varieties (Hergo, wild and Frugana) of sea buckthorn berries (Figures 1 and 2, Table 1). A significant drop in the number of volatile compounds was observed during the 2012 harvest with only 17, 39, 9, 20 volatile compounds extracted in four berry varieties (Hergo, wild, Frugana, Askola) (Figure 3 and Table 1) . An increase in volatile compounds was noted in 2013 and the four berry varieties (Hergo, wild, Frugana, Askola) contained 80,78,52,46 volatile compounds. Despite significant differences in the number of volatile compounds extracted during the three harvest seasons, there was agreement on the most abundant volatiles which were ethyl esters (ethyl hexanoate, ethyl octanoate, 2 -ethyl butanoate, ethyl 3-methylbutanoate, ethyl benzoate) and 3-methylbutyl esters (3-methylbutyl-2-methylbutanoate, 3-methylbutyl). -3-methylbutanoate, 3-methylbutylhexanoate and 3-methyl-butylbenzoate). Thus, a typical sample of sea buckthorn juice will generate a similar fingerprint of volatiles, regardless of the variety (Figures 2 and 3). However, conflicting results were observed in Hergo 2012, in which all abundant 3-methylbutyl esters were all absent and 3-methylbutyl-2-methylbutanoate and 3-methylbutyl-3-methylbutanoate were absent in the 2013 samples In 2012, Frugana ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, 3-methylbutanoate, ethyl benzoate and ethyl decanoate were absent and in 2012/13 ethyl dodecanoate was absent. The biosynthetic differences in the volatile profile were more visible...... middle of article ......rcia, J. Agric. Food chemistry. 1998, 46, 5143.29. G. Macleod, M. Forcen, Phytochemistry 1992, 31, 3113.30. G. Johansson, JL Berdagué, M. Larsson, N. Tran, E. Borch, Meat Sci 1994, 38, 203.31. H.-G. Mierendorff, E. Stahl-Biskup, M. a. Posthumus, T. a. Van Beek, Flavor Frag J 2003, 18, 510.32. Y. Xu, W. Fan, MC Qian, J. Agric. Food chemistry. 2007, 55, 3051.33. JC Beaulieu, CC Grimm, J. Agric. Food Chem 2001, 49, 1345.34. J. Pino, R. Marbot, A. Rosado, Flavor Frag J 2002, 17, 401.35. M. Qian, G. Reineccius, Flavor Frag J. 2003, 18, 252.36. El-Sayed AM, Heppelthwaite VJ, Manning LM, Gibb AR, Suckling DM, Agric J. Food chemistry. 2005, 53, 953.37. WA Konig, DH Hochmuth, D. Joulain, MassFinder Library 2.1 University of Hamburg, Institute of Organic Chemistry, Hamburg 200138. TR Kemp, LP Stoltz, J. Agric. Food chemistry. 1972, 20, 196.