BACKGROUND:　Longan　(Dimocarpus　longan　Lour.)　is　a　kind　of　subtropical　fruit,　but　it　has　a　very　short　shelf　life　under　normal　ambient　conditions.　In　this　work,　a　combination　sampling　method,　including　headspace　solid　phase　micro-extraction　(HSSPME),　simultaneous　distillation　extraction　(SDE)　and　steam　distillation　(SD),　was　used　to　study　the　volatile　profile　characteristics　of　longan　at　the　fresh　and　deteriorated　storage　phases　followed　by　gas　chromatography-mass　spectrometry　(GC-MS)　detection.　The　study　would　provide　a　method　for　investigating　the　volatile　profile　characteristics　of　longan　during　storage　and　some　helpful　clues　for　quality　discrimination.　RESULTS:　In　total,　28　and　22　volatile　compounds　of　fresh　and　deteriorated　longan　were　identified.　Alkenes　and　esters　were　the　main　volatile　components　of　longan.　beta-ocimene　accumulated,　whereas　allo-ocimene　and　3,4-dimethyl-2,4,6-octatriene　decreased　during　storage.　Different　volatile　profile　characteristics　at　the　fresh　and　deteriorated　storage　phases　obtained　by　HSSPME　were　specified　by　principal　component　analysis　(PCA).　Typical　volatile　compounds　were　distilled　by　a　common　model　strategy.　CONCLUSION:　The　volatile　profiles　of　longan　during　storage　were　studied　using　a　combination　of　sampling　methods　followed　by　GC-MS　detection.　Five　typical　volatiles　contributing　significantly　to　the　difference　in　volatile　profile　characteristics　of　longan　at　the　fresh　and　deteriorated　storage　phases　were　distilled　using　a　common　model　strategy.　These　compounds　are　potential　bio-markers　for　longan　degradation.　Tentative　results　suggest　that　combining　HSSPME　with　conventional　volatile　isolation　methods　would　provided　more　representative　data　on　changes　in　the　volatile　compounds　of　longan　during　storage　and　some　helpful　clues　for　quality　discrimination.　(c)　2008　Society　of　Chemical　Industry.