Significance of Dimethyl Sulfide to the Odor of Soft-Shell Clams

Abstract

In 12 samples of fresh soft-shell clam meats which were collected over their spawning period, the average concentration of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) was 3 ppm. Odor evaluations were made to determine the range of concentration of pure DMS that a panel recognized as a clamlike odor. Since the concentration of DMS in our clam samples was within this range (0.08–40 ppm), it is suggested that DMS dominates the odor of fresh soft-shell clams.