Evaluation of the Aroma of Cooked Spiny Lobster Tail Meat by Aroma Extract Dilution Analysis

Volatile compounds were isolated from cooked spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) tail meat by vacuum simultaneous distillation-solvent extraction (V-SDE) and dynamic headspace sampling (DHS). Flavor dilution chromatograms of V-SDE and DHS extracts were similar with respect to predominant odorants. The compound 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, having a nutty, popcom-like odor, was the most intense odorant in both types of extracts. Other potent odorants included 2,3-butanedione (creamy, buttery), 3-(methylthio)propanal (potato-like, soy sauce-like), 2-acetyl-3-methylpyrazine (burnt, popcom-like), trimethylamine (fishy, ammonia-like), l-octen-3-one (earthy, mushroom-like), and (Z)-4-heptenal (rancid, boiled potato-like). Two unidentified compounds described as marine, leatherlike, and lobster-like were of relatively low odor intensity.