Characteristic volatile compounds in different parts of grass carp by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Abstract

ABSTRACT Freshwater fish are usually unpopular with people, mainly because of their unappealing earthy and fishy smell. Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography is a relatively new analytical technique. Finally, different parts (the dorsal meat, belly meat, dark meat, skin, intestines, and gills) were investigated by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS) to explore their characteristic volatile components. In this study, a total of 49, 48, 61, 70, 73, and 65 volatile components were isolated in these six groups of samples, respectively, by GC×GC-TOFMS. Of these, 6, 7, 10, 13, 11, and 11 characteristic (ROAV ≥ 1) volatile compounds were identified in this study, including: Hexanal, Octanal, Nonanal, Heptanal, Decanal, 1-Heptanol, 1-Octen-3-ol, 2,4-Decadienal and (E,E)-2,4-Nonadienal, the majority of which were aldehydes and alcohols. The intensity range of fishy smells were identified, from strongest to weakest, as follows: gills, intestines, skin, dark meat, and belly/dorsal meat.