Nitrogen-containing volatiles, molecular

The flavor of fish and seafoods is composed of taste-active low molecular-weight extractives and aroma-active compounds. The taste-active compoimds are more abundant in the tissues of mollusks and crustaceans than fish. The most important non-volatile taste components are fi-ee amino acids, nucleotides, inorganic salts and quaternary ammonia bases. Alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, furans, nitrogen-containing compounds, sulfur-containing compounds, hydrocarbons, esters and phenols are the most important volatiles is shellfish. Alkyl pyrazines and sulfur-containing compounds are important contributors to the cooked aroma of crustaceans. Furans pyrazines, and Lactones have been found in heat-treated seafoods. Dimethyl disulfide, dimethyl trisulfide, heterocyclic sulfiir-containing compounds (alkylthiophenes) have been found in most thermally treated crustaceans like prawn, crab, oyster, crayfish and shrimp (52). 

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