Effects of Steam Processing on the Flavor Formation Mechanism of Male and Female Mussels

Abstract

In this study, the flavor quality of male and female mussel meat was investigated by sensory evaluation, gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and metabolomics. Sensory evaluation results indicated that the flavor quality of male and female mussel meat is optimal when steamed for 8 minutes and the “fresh” was the most prominent odor attribute. GC-IMS and GC-MS results revealed that aldehydes, ketones and alcohols were the characteristic flavor compounds in male and female mussel meat during different steaming times. Glycerol phospholipid metabolism was the main metabolic enrichment pathways shared by male and female mussel meat, and glycine (Gly), serine (Ser), and threonine (Thr) metabolism were the main metabolic pathways of female mussel meat. The precursor of important flavor compounds produced by different metabolic pathways determines the characteristic flavor of male and female mussel meat steamed at different times.

Keywords: Male mussel, Female mussel, Steam processing, metabolomics, Flavor formation