Impact of salt content on Douchi metabolites: biogenic amines, non‐volatile compounds and volatile compounds

Abstract BACKGROUND The excessive salt intake associated with Douchi has become a topic of controversy. Addressing this concern and enhancing its market competitiveness necessitates the application of salt reduction fermentation in Douchi. Therefore, to promote the application of salt reduction fermentation in Douchi, a comprehensive study was undertaken aiming to investigate the differences in biogenic amines, volatile compounds and non‐volatile compounds in Douchi with varying salt content. RESULTS The findings unequivocally demonstrate that salt hampers the formation of metabolites in Douchi. As the salt content increased, there was a significant decrease ( P < 0.05) in the levels of total acid, amino‐type nitrogen and free amino acids in Douchi. Notably, when the salt content exceeded 80 g kg −1 , there was a substantial reduction ( P < 0.05) in putrescine, lactic acid and malic acid levels. Similarly, when the salt content surpassed 40 g kg −1 , β ‐phenethylamine and oxalic acid levels exhibited a significant decline ( P < 0.05). Furthermore, the results of E‐nose and principal component analysis based on headspace solid phase microextraction gas chromatography–mass spectrometry revealed notable discrepancies in the volatile compound content between Douchi samples with relatively low salt content (40 and 80 g kg −1 ) and those with relatively high salt content (120, 160 and 200 g kg −1 ) ( P < 0.05). By employing partial least squares discriminant analysis, eight distinct volatile compounds, including o‐xylene, benzaldehyde and 1‐octen‐one, were identified. These compounds exhibited higher concentrations in Douchi samples with relatively low salt content (40 and 80 g kg −1 ). The sensory results showed that Douchi samples with lower salt content exhibited higher scores in the soy sauce‐like and Douchi aroma attributes. CONCLUSION In conclusion, this study significantly enhances our understanding of the impact of salt on metabolites in Douchi and provides invaluable insights for the development of salt reduction fermentation in this context. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.