Enhancement of savory odor and reduction of biogenic amines in anchovy sauce via reaction flavor technology.

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to develop an anchovy sauce with enhanced savory odor and reduced off-flavors and biogenic amine (BA) content by applying reaction flavor technology using amine radical precursors. The reaction flavor-induced sauce (RFIS) was prepared by adding glucose (10 g L-1) and amino acids, threonine (5.707 g L-1), glycine (8.008 g L-1) and proline (5.354 g L-1), to the Control (anchovy sauce: residue extract = 1:1 ratio, v/v), and then heating at 92 °C for 2 h. The volatile compounds were compared among Raw (2-year fermented), Control and RFIS samples using solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, and BAs were quantified by HPLC.

RESULTS

In total, 45 volatile compounds were identified: Raw (n = 37), Control (n = 38) and RFIS (n = 38), including aldehydes (n = 10), ketones (n = 4), alcohols (n = 5), nitrogen-containing compounds (n = 14), esters (n = 3), acids (n = 6) and others (n = 3). Nitrogen-containing compounds were most abundant in RFIS (2465.22 μg kg-1), followed by Control (1890.83 μg kg-1) and Raw (743.05 μg kg-1). High levels of 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, trimethylpyrazine and 3-ethyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazine imparted roasted and nutty odors to RFIS. Additionally, quantitative descriptive analysis shows that RFIS (5.50 points) scored significantly higher than Control (2.78 points), indicating off-flavor masking by pyrazine formation. Histamine levels decreased by approximately 18% in RFIS compared to the Control.

CONCLUSION

The flavor-enhanced RFIS improved sensory quality and reduced histamine content, demonstrating strong potential for industrial applications. Further studies under varying conditions are warranted to improve BA-reduction efficiency. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.