Comparative Evaluation of Key Aroma-Active Compounds in Raw and Cooked Red Mullet (Mullus barbatus) by Aroma Extract Dilution Analysis

Raw red mullet (Mullus barbatus) and its cooked samples, obtained from steam and oven cooking, were subjected to aroma and key odorant analysis for the first time using GC-MS-O. The extraction of the aroma compounds was carried out by the direct solvent extraction-solvent assisted flavor evaporation (DSE-SAFE) method. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to determine the relations between cooking processes and fish aroma compounds. By applying the aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA), 8 and 13 aroma-active compounds were detected in raw and cooked fish samples, respectively. The most prominent differences between raw and cooked fish samples were as follows: 3-hydroxybutan-2-one, 2,3-octadienone, (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal, linalool, γ-butyrolactone, 1-methylpyrrolidin-2-one, 2H-furan-5-one and pyrrolidin-2-one were only detected in cooked samples while hexanal and 2-phenoxyethanol in only raw fish samples. GC-MS-O results clearly indicated that cooking process results in the development of characteristics and pleasant aroma of red mullet samples due to the lipid oxidation. The most dominant aroma-active compound in the cooked fish samples was the 1-octen-3-ol which is responsible for the mushroom-like odor.