Abstract
An ascidian Halocynthia roretzi is known for the production of the peculiat “ ascidian ” flavor derived from n-alcohols. This paper deals with the mechanism of flavor formation which was investigated by the determination of the changes of the flavor strength during storage in muscles, viscera, and gut contents. Flavor formation in the model systems composed of crude enzymes and substrates prepared from ascidian tissues was also demonstrated. Flavor strength was evaluated from the octanol concentration, which is known to be one of the major alcohols in the flavor. The most odoriferous part in the ascidian was the gut contents, its flavor, however, did not increase during storage. But muscle and particularly viscera enhanced their flavors during storage, in spite of being almost odorless just after being caught. In comparing the various model reaction systems prepared from gut contents, muscles, and viscera, the most pronounced activity for flavor formation was observed in viscera, followed by that of muscles. Gut contents showed no activity. These results indicate that the ascidian flavor is enzymatically formed from the precursors contained mainly in ascidian viscera.
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