Geographical traceability of flavor compounds in Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis): Implications for quality differentiation, authenticity assessment, and mechanism research

Jiayi Li; Zhijuan Nie; Jiawen Hu; Lanmei Wang; Chao Song; Dongpo Xu; Jiangcao Gao; Pao Xu; Gangchun Xu

doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139429

Geographical traceability of flavor compounds in Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis): Implications for quality differentiation, authenticity assessment, and mechanism research

Food Chem. 2024 Apr 23:451:139429. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139429. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Jiayi Li¹, Zhijuan Nie², Jiawen Hu¹, Lanmei Wang¹, Chao Song¹, Dongpo Xu¹, Jiangcao Gao¹, Pao Xu¹, Gangchun Xu³

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi 214081, China.
² Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi 214081, China; Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi 214081, China.
³ Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi 214081, China; Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi 214081, China. Electronic address: xugc@ffrc.cn.

PMID: 38670016
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139429

Abstract

Geographical traceability plays a crucial role in ensuring quality assurance, brand establishment, and the sustainable development of the crab industry. In this study, we examined the possibility of using gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry with multivariate statistical authenticity analysis to identify the origin of crabs from five sites downstream of the Yangtze River. Significant variations were observed in the levels of alcoholic flavor compounds in the hepatopancreas and muscles of crabs from different geographical locations, and a support vector machine exhibited discriminant ability with 100% accuracy. These flavor variations exhibited significant correlations with the types and concentrations of elements within the crabs, as well as with free amino acids. This study offers a practical approach for determining the geographical traceability of Chinese mitten crabs and elucidates the role of elements in flavor modulation, thereby providing innovative strategies to enhance the efficiency of crab farming.

Keywords: Elemental analysis; Eriocheir sinensis; Geographical origin; Interaction analysis; Volatile organic compounds.