Optimization of dried and cooked Colombian varieties of green onion products by response surface methodology: a metabolomics-guided approach to value-added product development.

BACKGROUND: Colombian green onion (Allium spp.) represents an underexplored source of phytochemicals with potential for development into value-added foods. This study integrated metabolomics with process engineering to evaluate how genotype and processing conditions influence quality attributes, antioxidant-related responses, and phenolic composition during drying and cooking. RESULTS: Two Colombian green onion genotypes were evaluated using response surface methodology for tray drying, fluidized bed drying and cooked-paste processing, whereas targeted and untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry metabolomics were used to characterize processing-induced compositional changes. Across both processing strategies, processing conditions primarily determined global physicochemical responses, whereas genotype exerted a stronger influence on phenolic metabolomic profiles. Processing selectively modulated phenolic composition at the same tome as preserving genotype-associated differences. Discriminant metabolites included quercetin, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, kaempferol and naringenin across fresh and processed matrices. The hybrid genotype (Allium galanthum × Allium pskemense) showed greater relative abundance of flavonoids and hydroxycinnamic acids, whereas Allium fistulosum L. was characterized by higher relative abundance of hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives. These compositional differences were consistent with genotype-dependent antioxidant responses. CONCLUSION: Integrating genotype selection, process optimization and metabolomic characterization provides a rational framework for identifying genotype-processing combinations capable of producing value-added green onion products with differentiated physicochemical quality and targeted phytochemical profiles. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.