Characterisation of the volatiles of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) during storage by solid phase microextraction and GC-MS and their relationship to fish quality parameters

Investigations were carried out to extract the volatile compounds of fish using solid phase microextraction (SPME) in order to develop a new rapid indicator for determining the quality of fish. Changes in the aroma composition of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) was studied at 30 degrees C and in ice, using SPME GC-MS, and their relationship with the fish quality parameters - total volatile basic nitrogen and sensory analysis - was determined using principal component analysis (PCA) and stepwise multiple regression analysis. Hexanal (30.9%) and 2-nonanone (28.4%) were recorded in relatively high amounts in fresh fish, whereas 3-methyl-1-butanol and 3-hydroxy-2-butanone increased with storage time. PCA clearly differentiated the volatile profile of each sampling stage (P < 0.05) throughout storage treatments. Regression analysis showed a significant relationship between the fish quality and the levels of 3-methyl-1-butanol and pentadecane. The findings highlight the possibility of developing a rapid quality evaluation method for fish using SPME GC-MS.