Reduction effect of lactic acid fermented egg white on the smell of fish

<p>[Purpose] Lactic acid fermented egg white is the egg white fermented by lactic acid bacteria. It is a fat-free and high-protein material and effective in lowering the cholesterol level. Previous studies have shown that lactic acid fermented egg white has an effect on flavor improvement of various foods. Reduction of the unpleasant smell of fish products is currently demanded. However, to the best of our knowledge, no research studies have been performed till date to detect the effect of lactic acid fermented egg white on the smell of fish. In this study, we investigated the effect of lactic acid fermented egg white on the smell of fish and its mechanisms.</p><p>[Methods] We chose chub mackerels, which are often used in fish products, and soaked in salt water with and without lactic acid fermented egg white at 5°C overnight. We used 10 trained panelists to perform a sensory evaluation of the fishy smell of this grilled fish. In addition, we performed a fragrance analysis of the raw chub mackerel and examined the change in the concentration of flavor components by lactic acid fermented egg white treatment.</p><p>[Results] The sensory evaluation showed that lactic acid fermented egg white significantly reduced the fishy smell of the chub mackerels. Furthermore, the fragrance analysis revealed that lactic acid fermented egg white reduced some flavor components that contribute to fishy smell, which means that it has an ability to absorb the disagreeable components. According to the previous studies, lactic acid fermented egg white can inhibit fish oil oxidation and the production of odor components, such as 2,4-heptadienal, by chelating iron ions. These results suggest that the lactic acid fermented egg white reduces the fishy smell of fish with its absorption and antioxidant activities.</p>