Sensory-Guided Analysis of Key Taste-Active Compounds in Pufferfish (<i>Takifugu obscurus</i>)

TLDR

The study aimed to identify key taste-active components in Takifugu obscurus by quantitatively analyzing 28 putative compounds in cooked muscle and using taste reconstitution, omission, and addition tests, while also evaluating the role of flavor peptides in the overall taste profile. Researchers quantified the 28 compounds, performed taste reconstitution, omission, and addition tests, and assessed flavor peptides to pinpoint pivotal taste contributors. Sensory evaluation revealed glutamic acid, serine, proline, arginine, lysine, adenosine 5′‑monophosphate, inosine 5′‑monophosphate, succinic acid, sodium, potassium, phosphates, and chlorides as core taste‑active contributors, and identified the peptides Pro‑Val‑Ala‑Arg‑Met‑Cys‑Arg and Tyr‑Gly‑Gly‑Thr‑Pro‑Pro‑Phe‑Val as key substances inducing characteristic umami and kokumi profiles.

Abstract

To investigate key taste-active components in Takifugu obscurus, 28 putative taste compounds in cooked muscle of T. obscurus were quantitatively analyzed and the pivotal components were identified by taste reconstitution, omission, and addition tests. Moreover, the role of flavor peptides in the overall taste profile of T. obscurus was evaluated. Sensory evaluation revealed that glutamic acid, serine, proline, arginine, lysine, adenosine 5'-monophosphate, inosine 5'-monophosphate (IMP), succinic acid, sodium, potassium, phosphates, and chlorides were the core taste-active contributors to T. obscurus. Besides glutamic acid, IMP, succinic acid, and potassium, the characteristic T. obscurus-like umami and kokumi profiles were induced by adding flavor peptides, among which Pro-Val-Ala-Arg-Met-Cys-Arg and Tyr-Gly-Gly-Thr-Pro-Pro-Phe-Val were identified as key substances on the basis of the addition test and dose-response analysis. The present data may help to reveal the secret of the delicious taste of T. obscurus and provide the basis for the development of deeper flavor analysis of pufferfish.