This study examined the dorsal meat, belly meat, red meat, skin, intestines and gills of grass carp to determine the volatile compounds present in different parts using the monolithic material sorptive extraction gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and the electronic nose. Although the electronic nose was able to distinguish the flavors of the red meat, skin, intestines and gills, the dorsal and belly meat could not be differentiated. For dorsal meat, belly meat, red meat, fish skin, fish intestines and fish gills, 56, 55, 58, 67, 59, and 68 volatile compounds, respectively, were identified, the majority of which were aldehydes and alcohols. There were 9, 7, 9, 12, 7, and 9 predominant components were identified in dorsal meat, belly meat, red meat, fish skin, fish intestines, and fish gills. The fishy smell detected from strongest to weakest were: fish gills, fish intestines, fish skin, red meat, and dorsal meat/belly meat.
Practical applications
Freshwater fish generally have an unattractive fishy, earthy odor thus not favored by consumers. The present study reveals volatile components present in different parts of grass carp using monolithic material sorptive extraction gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (MMSE–GC–MS) and electronic nose. The results demonstrated that combination of electronic nose response, principle component analysis, and MMSE–GC–MS can be applied to distinguish the flavors of the red meat, fish skin, fish intestines and fish gills, the dorsal meat and belly meat successfully and this method could be used for the identification of different compounds in similar gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis. The findings of this study will enrich our theoretical knowledge of flavor chemistry of fish products.
