Comparison of Volatile Flavor Components in Four Kinds of Chinese Fermented Black Soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) by HS-SPME-GC/MS and Chemometrics

Abstract

The applicability of headspace solid-phase micro-extraction (HS-SPME) combined with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for determination of volatile flavor components (VFCs) of 4 kinds of Chinese fermented black soybeans (CFBS) collected from 4 different regions of China (Chongqing Yongchuan, Guangdong Yangjiang, Hunan Liuyang and Jiangxi Hukow, respectively). Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to visually compare their VFCs. Sixty-five VFCs were identified from 4 kinds of CFBS. These VFCs were divided into 11 categories including 13 acids, 7 alkenes, 7 alcohols, 6 aldehydes, 10 esters, 1 ether, 3 ketones, 5 phenols, 9 pyrazines,1 sulfide and 3 miscellaneous. In PCA comparison, Chongqing Yongchuan had the highest amount of phenethyl alcohol responsible for intense sauce-like aroma. Guangdong Yangjiang characterized by ginger aroma, was rich in zingiberene. Hunan Liuyang had stronger fatty aroma because of its higher ester content, while Jiangxi Hukow was richer in nutty aroma due to its plentiful pyrazines.