Abstract:The differences in the flavor components of Chinese mitten crab between August and December were studied. The taste profiles of three edible parts (meats, gonads, and hepatopancreas) of Chinese mitten crab, in different months, were distinguished by an electronic tongue. The contents of free amino acids and flavor nucleotides were measured, and the taste activity value (TAV) and equivalent umami concentration (EUC) were calculated. The results showed that differences in the taste profile of each edible part in different months could be effectively distinguished. The taste profiles in November and December were significantly different from those in August and September. The content of sweet tasting amino acids in the three edible parts and the content of umami amino acids in hepatopancreas reached their peak values in November. The total content of flavor nucleotides in meat was the highest and showed a large fluctuation. After November, the contents of sweet tasting nucleotides and umami nucleotides in meat were increased significantly, but the change in the flavor content nucleotides in gonads and hepatopancreas was less significant. The TAV values of glutamate (Glu), alanine (Ala), arginine (Arg), and lysine (Lys) in all edible parts of Chinese mitten crab at different growth stages were higher than 1, and these amino acids contributed the most to the overall taste of the crab. In gonads, the EUC value was significantly higher than that in other parts and reached the peak value in September and December. Therefore, it was confirmed that the male crab has best taste in November.
