Influence of thermal processing on flavor and sensory profile of sturgeon meat

Sensory analysis and instrumental techniques were used to investigate the effect of thermal processing on sturgeon meat flavor. A lexicon consisted of 26 descriptors was established for the sensory evaluation of raw and steamed sturgeon meat (4, 8, 12, 16, 20 min at 100 degrees C). Ten odor attributes generated by Check-all-that-apply and Free Choice Profiling methods were selected as characteristic descriptors, which were fishy, meaty, oily/ fatty, salty, umami, ammonia/rancid, grass, fresh, earthy, and visceral. Aroma compounds were extracted by headspace-solid phase micro extraction (HS-SPME). A total of 63 and 62 volatiles were identified by gas chromatography equipped with mass spectrometry and olfactometry (GC-MS-O) and GC-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS). Phospholipids accounted for 67.05% in 173 differential metabolites identified via untargeted metabolomics. 47 kinds of phosphatidylethanolamines were significantly correlated with the formation of aldehydes. This study provides a theoretical basis for regulating the flavor formation of thermal-processed aquatic products.

Automated summary

In this study, sensory analysis and instrumental techniques were used to investigate the impact of thermal processing on sturgeon meat flavor. A sensory lexicon of 26 descriptors was established and aroma compounds were extracted. Phospholipids were found to play a significant role in the formation of aldehydes, providing a theoretical basis for regulating flavor formation in thermally processed aquatic products.