Characteristic Flavor Components in the Brew of Cooked Clam (Meretrix lusoria) and the Effect of Storage on Flavor Formation

Abstract

The odorants in the brew of cooked clam (Meretrix lusoria) were separated by adsorption into Tenax TA resin. An analysis by GC and GC−MS enabled 49 compounds to be unambiguously or tentatively identified. Among them, 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-3(2H)-furanone (DMHF) (caramel-like), maltol (sweet), 2-acetyl-2-thiazoline (roasted), 2-acetylthiazole (popcorn-like), and 3-methylthiopropanal (boiled potato-like) were determined as the main potent odor compounds by an aroma extract dilution analysis. Since the concentrations of these compounds were increased with the longer cooking time, it was considered that the increase of these compounds was deeply related to the formation of the characteristic odor in the brew of cooked clam. Furthermore, by keeping the body of the clam at 4 °C for periods of 30 min, 2 h, 12 h, and 24 h before cooking, the formation of maltol and DMHF was increased significantly with increasing length of storage time, thus enhancing the flavor of the cooked clam. Keywords: Cooked clam; potent odorant; Tenax TA adsorption; DMHF; maltol; storage

Central mechanisms of odour object perception

“…Therefore, a necessary step in the perception of an odour object is the synthesis of discrete odorant parts into a unified perceptual whole. The odour of cooked clam broth, for example, is composed of 49 different odorants, including a caramel-like furanone, a popcorn-like thiazole and a boiled potato-like 3-methyl-thiopropanal 116 . It is the combined presentation of these molecules to the nose that creates the singular percept of brewed clams.…”

The Significance of Volatile Sulfur Compounds in Food Flavors

“…Three notable sulfur volatiles in boiled clam were determined to be principal character-impact compounds by AEDA: 2-acetyl-2-thiazoline ("roasted"), 2-acetylthiazole ("popcorn") and 3-methylthiopropanal (methional) ("boiled potato") (102). Because 2-acetyl-2-thiazoline is readily degraded by heating in aqueous media (103), it is presumed that acetylthiazoline is initially produced at low temperature, and then oxidized to 2-acetylthiazole.…”

Browning and Decomposed Products of Model Orange Juice

“…3OH2P, furfural and 2-furoic acid were derived of AsA through dehydroascorbic acid, 27) while HMF and 5-hydroxymaltol were derived of fructose (data not shown). 5-Hydroxymaltol is sometimes identified as a flavor component of heated foods, [28][29][30] and formed by the Millard reaction. 31) However, there is no report that 5-hydroxymaltol is formed during storage of orange juice.…”