Effects of Different Marinade Conditions on Sensory Quality, Physicochemical Properties and Flavor of Sauced Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) Meat

To investigate the effect of various temperature (95, 65, 25, 4 ℃) and time (0, 2, 4, 6, 8 h) combinations on the quality of marinated grass carp. The research utilized grass carp meat as the subject, employing sensory evaluation, physicochemical index analysis, and gas chromatography ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) technology to reveal the changes in sensory attributes, quality, and flavor under different marination conditions. Results indicated that marination at 65 ℃ for 6 h or 95 ℃ for 2 h improved the odor, color, chewiness and overall acceptability of grass carp. Specifically, marination at 65 ℃ for 6 h significantly reduced protein degradation rates (P<0.05), resulting in the lowest total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) content and a relatively low thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value in the marinated grass carp meat. In addition, marination also altered the composition of amino acids (AAs), increasing the relative content of umami amino acids at 65 ℃. Furthermore, GC-IMS analysis revealed that the 65 ℃ for 6 h marination condition enhanced both the type and content of volatile flavor compounds, thereby promoting the flavor production of marinated grass carp. In conclusion, the 65 ℃ for 6 h marination condition was found to be beneficial for improving the sensory quality, physicochemical properties, and flavor of grass carp.