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Flavour of fish

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Seafoods: Chemistry, Processing Technology and Quality

Abstract

Very fresh fish are characterized by mild, delicate flavours and aromas that are contributed by volatile 6-, 8-, and 9-carbon carbonyls and alcohols arising from the action of lipoxygenases on long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. In marine fish these green, planty, and melony flavour notes are usually accompanied by various sea-like or iodine-like flavour notes that are provided by bromophenols that are accumulated from the environment via the food chain. The flavour of prime salmon results in part from the co-oxidation of carotenoid pigments and polyunsaturated fatty acids which yield characterizing aroma compounds. Flavour quality deterioration in fish is caused by microbial activity and endogenous enzymic activity which results in the destruction of some compounds and the formation of others. When autoxidation of unsaturated fish lipids progresses to a stage where 2,4,7-decatrienals and other carbonyls occur above threshold values, fishiness or cod liver oil-like flavours become apparent. Chemical alterations of volatile compounds during storage and processing also contribute to various fish flavours.

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Authors
  1. R. C. Lindsay
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Biochemistry and Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada

    Fereidoon Shahidi

  2. Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Inspection Branch, Canada

    J. Richard Botta

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© 1994 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Lindsay, R.C. (1994). Flavour of fish. In: Shahidi, F., Botta, J.R. (eds) Seafoods: Chemistry, Processing Technology and Quality. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-2181-5_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-2181-5_6

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-5913-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-2181-5

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