Effect of four types of thermal processing methods on the aroma profiles of acidity regulator-treated tilapia muscles using E-nose, HS-SPME-GC-MS, and HS-GC-IMS

Abstract

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) significantly impact food aroma. In this work, Electron nose (E-nose), headspace solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS), and headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS) techniques were applied to analyze the effects of four types of thermal processing methods (microwaving, roasting, steaming, and boiling) on the aroma profiles of acidity regulator-treated tilapia muscles. E-nose analysis suggested the aroma differences could be detected by meatal oxide semiconductors of P30/2, P30/1, and PA/2. HS-SPME-GC-MS and HS-GC-IMS identified 43 VOCs (seven aldehydes, two ketones, five alcohols, one ester, twenty-two hydrocarbons, six other compounds) and 20 VOCs (four alcohols, nine aldehydes, six ketones, and one S-containing compound), respectively, in the raw and thermal processed tilapia muscles. Moreover, all these techniques demonstrated that thermal processing significantly and differently decreased the types of VOCs in the tilapia muscles. This work can provide useful knowledges for understanding the flavors of foods such as aquatic products and meats.