Determination of volatile compounds in seafood in a metabolomic approach using GC-EI-MS

Abstract

The objective of this research is to obtain a method which allows to differentiate between the types of fish smoking treatment, in order to commercialize fish products with the minimum smoky flavour and odour as possible but following the European legislation. The company SEA DELIGHT, where the samples come from, is dedicated to the smoked fish production using different types of treatments such as cold smoke, tasteless and CO. The sale of tasteless and CO smoked fish is not allowed in Europe in accordance with food legislation, so the objective of SEA DELIGHT company is to demonstrate that the new method of cold smoke treatment has “smoked properties” (smoke flavour and odour components) and that it is different of CO and tasteless products, with the ultimate goal of launch onto the European market smoked fish products. Because of this fact, a classifying methodology is required to achieve differences between the different smoking seafood treatments. On one hand, SEA DELIGHT produces CO and tasteless smoked seafood products that are commercialised in EUA and Canada respectively. On the other hand, a new methodology of cold smoke process has been introduced in their production. During this process, the fish is exposed to smoke from the wood, using temperatures below 4ºC. Three types of cold smoke products are produce: -Light smoked grade: the time of flavoured wood smoke exposition is short and the smoked flavour obtained is very light. -Medium smoke grade: the exposition to the flavoured wood smoke is larger and the flavour obtained is moderate. -Classic smoked grade (Full Cure): product have a strong cold smoked flavour and aroma due to the 48h cured. This research focuses on getting a statistical model based on a metabolomic approach to classify the types of smoked fish treatment and to tentatively identify the main indicative markers of the smoky characteristics.