Relationships between Aroma Components and Sensory Evaluation of Miso

Abstract

Aroma concentrates were prepared by absorbing aroma compounds to porous polymer and eluting them with ether from 48 kinds of rice miso which were exhibited at the 32nd National Miso Competition. Aroma concentrates were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and GC-mass spectrometry (MS), and concentrations of the selected 92 peaks were used as variables for statistical analyses. These rice miso were evaluated and classified to three classes by sensory test. The compound having the highest correlation coefficient between the variables and sensory scores was HEMF (4-hydroxy-2 (or 5)-ethyl-5 (or2)-methyl 3 (2H)-furanone). By the stepwise discriminant analysis of 46 major peaks, HEMF was also selected by step l and evaluated as the most contributing compound. From these results, HEMF was considered to contribute remarkably to sensory evaluation and classification. Fourteen peaks were selected by the stepwise discriminant analysis. The 14 peaks variables were able to explain on 76% of the total variation. Using the 14 peaks variables, all rice miso were classified correctly into three classes by canonical discriminant analysis.