Characterization of odorant compounds of mussels (Mytilus edulis) according to their origin using gas chromatography–olfactometry and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Gas chromatography–olfactometry consists of sniffing the effluent of a gas chromatograph and leads to the direct determination of potent odorants in food. GC–olfactometry and GC–MS were applied in order to identify volatile compounds, and to characterize potent odorants of cooked wild mussels and bouchot mussels. Eighty-five volatiles were identified by GC–MS, among those the majority were identified for the first time in mussels. Using GC–olfactometry, the main contributors of cooked mussels aroma were characterized. Of the 85 volatiles identified in the flavor, only 33 were odor-active and contribute to the overall aroma of mussels. Dimethyl disulfide (sulfury odor) was the odorant the most differently perceived between the two extracts and seems to be characteristic of wild mussels. Combined GC–MS and GC–olfactometry made it possible to point out odorants which actually contribute to the aroma of cooked mussels and those which showed typical dependence on the origin of mussels.