Volatile compounds in skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelanis) viscera (STV)
and tuna sauce (TS) made from STV were analyzed by vacuum simultaneou
s distillation-solvent extraction/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry
/olfactometry and aroma extract dilution analysis. Predominant odorant
s in STV were lipid-derived compounds, such as (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal (
stale/peanut-like), (E,Z)-2,6-nonadienal (cucumber-like), (E,E)-2,4-de
cadienal (fatty/rancid fat-like), (E)-2-nonenal (stale, bitter), and (
Z)-4-heptenal (fishy/rancid), and unidenified compounds having grassy,
fresh fish-like odors. In contrast to STV, potent odorants in TS were
mostly thermally generated compounds such as 3-(methylthio)propanal (
baked potato-/soy sauce-like), dimethyl trisulfide (cooked cabbage-lik
e), and 3-methylbutanal (dark chocolate-like). Additional potent odora
nts in TS were (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal, (E)-2-nonenal, phenylacetaldehyd
e (honeysuckle-like), and two unidentified compounds having nutty, bak
ed potato-, vitamin-, and cooked rice-like odors. Two amino acids, glu
tamic acid and aspartic acid, were predominant in both samples.