In order to investigate the characteristic cooked odor of Antarctic krills, the odor concentrate was obtained from krills by steam distillation followed by ethyl ether extraction. The odor concentrate was separated into carbonyl and non-carbonyl fractions. Each fraction was analyzed by combined gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
The carbonyl fraction had oily and tenacious unpleasant odor, and seemed to be responsible for the characteristic cooked odor of krills. The following compounds were characterized in the carbonyl fraction: pentanal, hexanal,
cis-4-heptenal, octanal, benzaldehyde, phenylacetaldehyde, 2-pentanone, 2-heptanone, 2-nonanone, 2-decanone and 3, 5-octadien-2-one.
In the non-carbonyl fraction, limonene and other several aliphatic hydrocarbons, 1-penten-3-ol, dimethyl sulfide and carbon disulfide (tentative) were identified.
A large amount of pyrazines were identified in the steam distillate from frozen raw krills, but very small amount from frozen precooked krills.
In comparison of the cooked odor of frozen raw krills and frozen precooked krills, the former had stronger unpleasant odor than the latter. This seemed to be caused by the differences of contents of pyrazines and carbonyl compounds.
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