Characterisation of qualitative changes in frozen, unpeeled cold-water shrimp (Pandalus borealis) by static headspace gas chromatography and multivariate data analysis

Static headspace gas chromatography and descriptive sensory methods for the characterisation of quality changes in frozen, unpeeled cold-water shrimp were developed. Frozen shrimps in various stages of oxidation were investig ated. In a multivariate statistical analysis the whole chromatogram. regard ed as a fingerprint, correlated with the sensory scores of taste and odour. The areas of 8-11 chromatographic peaks were sufficient to predict the sco re of rancid taste and rancid odour of shrimp meat, with a prediction error of 0.7 cm on a 10-cm line scale. Peak areas did not correlate with crispin ess of the shell or toughness of the meat. Individual peaks were not identi fied, but multivariate data analysis was able to pinpoint the peaks in the chromatogram that were important with respect to the development of certain sensory attributes. The possibility of developing a routine screening meth od is discussed.