Comparative analysis of flavor, taste, and volatile organic compounds in opossum shrimp paste during long‐term natural fermentation using E‐nose, E‐tongue, and HS‐SPME‐GC‐MS

The present study focused on the determination of color, flavor, taste, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) changes of shrimp paste fermented for 1, 2, 3, and 8 years by E‐nose, E‐tongue, and headspace solid‐phase microextraction gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (HS‐SPME‐ GC‐MS). During fermentation, the color of shrimp paste turned dark brown with decreases in L*, a*, and b* values. Inorganic sulfide odor was dominant in all fermented samples. The umami, richness, and aftertaste‐B reached a maximum in year 3 of fermentation. A total of 182 volatiles, including long‐chain alkanes, esters, aldehydes, olefins, ketones, acids, furans, and pyrazines, were detected. Sixteen VOCs including dimethyl disulfide, methional, trimethyl‐pyrazine, (E,E)‐2,4‐heptadienal, benzeneacetaldehyde were selected as flavor markers. Correlation analysis showed that 94 VOCs were related to saltiness while 40, 17, 21, 22, and 24 VOCs contributed to richness, umami, aftertase‐B, sourness, and bitterness, respectively. These novel data may help in optimizing fermentation duration to achieve target flavor indicators in opossum shrimp paste production