Chinese fermented mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi) have unique aroma characteristics that are appreciated by local consumers. In this study, electronic nose (E-nose) and gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry analyses were combined to establish a volatile fingerprint of fermented mandarin fish during fermentation. Clear separation of the data allowed mandarin fish samples at different fermentation stages to be distinguishing using E-nose analysis. Forty-three volatile organic compounds were identified during fermentation. Additionally, partial least squares discrimination analysis was performed to screen for different VOC metabolites in the fermented mandarin fish; the levels of six VOCs changed significantly during fermentation (variable importance in projection >1; p < 0.05). Three VOCs, i.e., hexanal-D, nonanal, and limonene were identified as potential biomarkers for fermentation. This study provided a theoretical basis for flavor real-time monitoring and quality control of traditional mandarin fish fermentation.
Keywords: electronic nose; fermented Mandarin fish; gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; metabolic footprint; quality control; volatile organic compound.
Copyright © 2021 Wang, Wu, Shen, Li, Zhao, Qi, Li and Chen.