Tropicannasulfurs: The Tropical Cannabis Flavorants Behind Your Favorite Strains

Tropicannasulfurs are the REAL compounds behind juicy, tropical cannabis aromas. Learn how these cannabis flavorants are transforming the future of high-quality cannabis.

Cannabis lovers of the past may have laughed in disbelief at names like “Papaya Peach” or “Starburst,” but not today. Extensive hybridization has resulted in an astounding array of cannabis flavors and aromas — and tropical strains are VERY popular.

Consumers love cultivars with sweet, tropical, citrus, or even ripe (borderline rotten) fruit notes. Think Tangie-forward cultivars like Mimosa, Tropicana Cookies, Starburst, or even… well, Tangie! 

Regarding the aroma and flavor of their wildly popular Tangie cultivar, DNA Genetics says, “The dominant aroma is an unmistakable burst of fresh tangerines, so authentic it’s like standing in a sun-drenched citrus grove…. The initial taste is an explosion of sweet, tangy citrus, followed by layers of tropical fruits and subtle earthiness.”¹ With a profile like that, it’s not hard to see why people love it.

So, what’s behind these popular tropical aromas? Surprisingly, it’s NOT d-Limonene! While d-Limonene likely still plays a role, a subclass of the loud and proud Cannasulfur family of cannabis flavorants called Tropicannasulfur Compounds (TCSCs) is responsible for the tropical aromas behind many of your favorite citrusy strains. 

Craving all the juicy, fruity details? Read on to learn more about the cannabis flavorants transforming the future of tropical cannabis aromas and flavors.

What Are Cannabis Flavorants?

Until recently, we all thought terpenes were responsible for the cornucopia of funky, fruity, dank, and stanky smells produced by cannabis. However, there’s always been an issue with this idea. Cultivars with wildly different aromas could share the same dominant terpenes. Fortunately, our recent Science of Exotic research uncovered the missing piece(s) to this puzzle.²

When we compared things like esters, volatile sulfur compounds, alcohols, etc., we found clear differences between varieties. This class of compounds we are referring to as “flavorants” was concluded to be responsible for our favorite plant’s many unique aromas.

Cannabis flavorants are non-terpene compounds (esters, volatile sulfur compounds, alcohols, etc.) found in low concentrations that are responsible for cannabis's unique and diverse aromas.

So far, we’ve identified more than sixty unique flavorants, and further testing is helping us learn how they fit into our understanding and perception of cannabis aroma. For example, even when they’re present in small amounts, like parts per billion or even parts per trillion, flavorants have a BIG impact on aroma!

Many of the stinkier, savory aromas can be attributed to flavorants like Skatole, and Indole is responsible for some sharp, chemical, and ammoniacal fragrances (although, it has floral qualities at certain concentrations). 

So, what flavorants are responsible for tropical aromas? What’s the driving force behind “Tangie” scents with notes of citrus, guava, passionfruit, or even papaya?

Figure 1. Sankey diagram showing the phytochemical makeup of cannabis.

What Are Tropicannasulfur Compounds?

Introducing Tropicannasulfur Compounds (TCSCs). These are the mystery compounds responsible for tropical aromas found in cannabis. Does something about that term sound familiar to you? There’s a good reason for that!

In our 2021 study, The Science of Dank, we found that Prenylated Cannasulfur Compounds (PCSCs) were responsible for the gassy, skunky, and downright dank aromas of cannabis. Well, it turns out that TCSCs are a subset of PCSCs.³

Similar to PCSCs, tropicannasulfurs can have a massive impact on aroma even when present in miniscule amounts. Interestingly, they also have an underlying funk of petroleum and/or sulfur. This makes sense when you think about popular tropical cultivars like Tangie or Papaya Peach. Many are known for bright citrus aromas with dank notes of gas.

It helps to think of it this way: if PCSCs are savory, then TCSCs are fruity. While they’re both sulfuric compounds, PCSCs impart savory flavors with dank gas and TCSCs deliver a tropical fruity essence tinged with sulphuric skunk. Plus, there’s not just one mega tropicannasulfur compound. There’s a large family of TCSCs.

Figure 2. A schematic showing how tropicannasulfur compounds fit into the greater hierarchy of sulfur chemistry in cannabis.

The Trio of Tropicanna: 3MHA, 3MH, and 3MHB

The first TCSC we identified was 3-mercaptohexyl acetate (3MHA), and you can find this flavorant in strains like Papaya Peach, Starburst 36-1, Banana Scream, etc. The food and beverage industry has long known about the powerful tropical aroma and flavor of 3MHA, but this was the first time it had ever been identified in cannabis. It made us wonder if other 3-mercapto might play a role. 

No surprise, we quickly identified two more — 3-mercaptohexanol (3MH) and 3-mercaptohexyl butyrate (3MHB). 3MH can be found in strains like Garlic Cocktail and Sour Tangie, while we identified 3MHB in Upside Down Frown #5 and in several Starburst 36 phenotypes. 

Each of these TCSCs has an intense mix of sulfuric, citrus, and tropical scents. However, they do have important differences. While 3MHA emits notes of tropical passionfruit and blackberry, 3MH has characteristics of guava and passionfruit and 3MHB leans more towards citrus and grapefruit.

However, like we mentioned, the food and beverage industry has been aware of some of these compounds for some time. That’s because, in addition to their intentional use as flavor/aroma ingredients, they’re found throughout nature. For example, 3MHA can be found in hops, passionfruit, and some varieties of wine grapes. You can find 3MH in hops, papaya, and sauvignon blanc grapes, and 3MHB from pineapple, grapefruit, and papaya.

Figure 3. Chemical structure and aroma descriptors for newly discovered tropicannasulfur compounds.

MORE TCSCs!

Oh, yeah. Did we mention that we’re STILL discovering more members of the tropicannasulfur family? Yep, the more research we do, the more we keep stumbling upon these lil’ guys!

For example, 3-mercaptohexyl hexanoate (3MHH) also has pungent notes of tropical citrus and grapefruit and is found in Sour Tangie and in ALL 5 of the Starburst 36 phenos we analyzed. You can also find it in passionfruit, grapes, and (oddly enough) in tomato leaves.

Even if you’re just now learning about these compounds, you might have experienced them without realizing it. That’s because TCSCs are easily discernable by the human nose. 

Our sensory panel during our Science of Exotic research didn’t have any special training, and yet they were able to identify tropical/citrus scents and relate them to quantified levels of TCSCs in the sample. Basically, it wasn’t hard for them to tell when a sample had high levels of TCSCs.

So, the next time you notice notes of tropical fruit in your bud, you might just be picking up on tropicannasulfur compounds!

Want to experience tropicannasulfur compounds in action? See for yourself what tropical, exotic cannabis can be like in our new formulation of Orange Apricot based on the rosin analyzed in this study.

How Will The Discovery of TCSCs Change the Industry?

Learning more about cannabis and the compounds that contribute to its aromas, flavors, and sensorial effects means that consumers, manufacturers, marketers, and regulators can make more informed decisions.

Manufacturers with a greater understanding of cannabis will have more control over product development and the final consumer experience (particularly since the human nose can easily detect TCSCs).  

Also, a greater understanding of these compounds means that the accuracy of testing will improve. This will lead to more accurate comprehensive product labeling, which will make it easier for consumers to find the right products. 

This goes so much further than that, though! 

We discovered that high levels of TCSCs often coincide with low levels of indole and vice versa. We don’t know why this happens (yet), but it’s a breakthrough for breeders cultivating sweet or savory flavors. Since these compounds are often found on opposite ends of the Exotic Cannabis Aroma Spectrum, growers can dial in sweet or savory notes by chemohunting for specific concentrations.⁴ 

This is just the beginning. With more time and research, who knows what we’ll uncover next.

Abstrax Tech | Transforming The Future of Tropical Cannabis Aromas

At Abstrax Tech, we perform cutting-edge research to push the industry forward and provide cannabis brands with the ingredients they need to formulate game-changing products consumers love (Psst! Stay tuned for a “golden” tropical drop later this summer).

Have questions about incorporating flavorants into your formulations? Want expert assistance developing the right aroma, flavor, and effects for your products? We’re here to help.

Contact us today, and let’s collaborate on your next innovative, research-driven product. 

1. Adam. (2024, February 5). Tangie Marijuana Strain: A Citrus-Fueled Experience Information: DNA Genetics. DNA Genetics Cannabis Seeds. https://dnagenetics.com/tangie/

2. Oswald, I., Paryani, T., Sosa, M., Ojeda, M., Altenbernd, M., Grandy, J., Shafer, N., Ngo, K., Peat, J., Melshenker, B. G., Skelly, I., Koby, K., Page, M., & Martin, T. (2023, October 12). Minor, Nonterpenoid Volatile Compounds Drive the Aroma Differences of Exotic Cannabis. ACS Publications.

3. Iain W. H. Oswald, Marcos A. Ojeda, Ryan J. Pobanz, Kevin A. Koby, Anthony J. Buchanan, Josh Del Rosso, Mario A. Guzman, and Thomas J. Martin. Identification of a New Family of Prenylated Volatile Sulfur Compounds in Cannabis Revealed by Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography.. ACS Omega 2021 https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsomega.1c04196

4. Twinkle R. Paryani, Manuel E. Sosa, Michael F. Z. Page, Thomas J. Martin, Melissa V. Hearvy, Marcos A. Ojeda, Kevin A. Koby, Jonathan J. Grandy, Bradley G. Melshenker, Ian Skelly, and Iain W. H. Oswald. (2024). Nonterpenoid Chemical Diversity of Cannabis Phenotypes Predicts Differentiated Aroma Characteristics. ACS omega, 9(26), 27755-29071 https://pubs.acs.org/doi/epdf/10.1021/acsomega.4c03225

Celebrate Tropical Cannabis Aromas!

SHOP Orange Apricot

Revel in the next evolution of botanical aromatics with bright petroleum-fueled Orange Apricot. Tropicannasulfurs create an exhilarating medley of Tangie-forward citrus with deafeningly loud notes of sweet gas. Welcome to the future.

SHOP Sour Tangie

Sour Tangie is one of our most exotic profiles. It has everything you love about Sour Diesel and Tangie in one sexy citrus-powered blend. Imagine the sweet and sour qualities of citrus softened ever so gently by earthy diesel.

SHOP Papaya

As a cross between Citral #13 and Ice #2, Papaya Rosin is undeniably tropical with a unique woody lift. It’s sweet, delicately citric, and leaves taste buds wanting more while encouraging lazy days on the beach.

SHOP Papaya Peach

Descended from Papaya and a cross of Granola Funk and Peach Oz, Papaya Peach is loud, fuel-forward, and tropical. Enjoy the surprisingly smooth combo of stone fruit, tangerine, and mandarine orange atop layers of dank, earthy wood.