The effect of peanut meal on the physicochemical properties, antioxidant activities, and flavour of soy sauce

Abstract To solve the serious problem of homogenising commercial soy sauce, peanut meal, a high-quality plant protein resource, was used to replace soybean meal to ferment soy sauce. In this study, we investigated the effects of different raw material ratios (w/w) and starters on the physicochemical and antioxidant activities, sensory characteristics and flavour of soy sauce. The results showed that peanut meal helped to increase the protease activity of koji, deepen the colour of soy sauce, improve the antioxidant activity of soy sauce, and enrich the aroma of soy sauce. The total phenol and total flavonoid content of PMSS (2:2) with starters were increased by 20% and 36%, respectively, compared to soybean meal soy sauce. The results of SPME-GC–MS and recombination and omission experiments showed that the aroma of peanut meal soy sauce was more complex and more abundant in esters, pyrazines, and phenols. Ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, Apricolin, 2-Methyl-1-butanol, and Isovaleraldehyde in peanut meal had high OAV values. In addition, PMSS (2:2) with starters had the highest sensory score, with intense fruity, caramel, malty, and smoky aromas. These results show that peanut meal can improve the quality and flavour of soy sauce and provide a theoretical basis for the development of peanut soy sauce.