Characterization and Evaluation of Aroma Quality in Doubanjiang, a Chinese Traditional Fermented Red Pepper Paste, Using Aroma Extract Dilution Analysis and a Sensory Profile

• Published in: Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 24; no. 17; p. 3107
• Main Authors: Li, Zhihua, Dong, Ling, Jeon, Jin, Kwon, So Young, Zhao, Chi, Baek, Hyung-Hee
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 27.08.2019; MDPI
• Subjects: 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine; Alcohol; Aroma; aroma-active compounds; Beans; Broad beans; Capsicum - chemistry; Chromatography; Chromatography, Gas; Damascenone; Dilution; doubanjiang; Esters - analysis; Fermentation; Flavor; Food; Gas chromatography; Heat treatments; Hydrocarbons - analysis; Linalool; Liquor; Manufacturing; Mass spectrometry; Mass spectroscopy; Metabolites; Methionine; Moromi; Odor thresholds; Odorants - analysis; Odors; Olfactory thresholds; Peppers; Plant Extracts - analysis; Plants; SAFE/HS-SPME/GC-O/AEDA techniques; Salts; Sensory evaluation; Sensory perception; Solid Phase Microextraction; Solvents; sotolone; Volatile compounds; Volatile Organic Compounds - analysis; Wheat; Wines; β-damascenone; China; 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine; SAFE/HS-SPME/GC-O/AEDA techniques; sotolone; aroma-active compounds; doubanjiang; β-damascenone
• ISSN: 1420-3049; 1420-3049
• DOI: 10.3390/molecules24173107

Doubanjiang, a Chinese traditional fermented red pepper paste, is eaten worldwide for its unique flavor. The objective of this study was to evaluate the aroma quality of doubanjiang using solvent-assisted flavor evaporation (SAFE) and headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) and aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA). A total of 165 volatile compounds, belonging to 13 chemical classes, were identified. Esters and hydrocarbons were the predominant groups. Thirteen aroma-active compounds were detected by AEDA of SAFE and HS-SPME, and their odor activity values (OAVs) were calculated by dividing their concentration by their odor threshold in water. Among them, ethyl isovalerate, β-damascenone, 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine (IBMP), and sotolone had the highest OAVs (>1000). In addition, sotolone, methional, β-damascenone, 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine, ethyl isovalerate, phenylethyl alcohol and linalool had high flavor dilution (FD) factors. Sotolone, β-damascenone and 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine were identified for the first time in doubanjiang and played significant roles in its aroma quality.