Comparison of nonvolatile taste active compounds of wild and cultured mud crab Scylla paramamosain

Nonvolatile taste active compounds, including free amino acids (FAAs), 5'-nucleotides, betaine, soluble sugars, trimethylamine oxide and organic acids of wild and cultured mud crab Scylla paramamosain were examined. The main taste in mud crab (MC) is derived from the FAAs, 5'-nucleotides, betaine, and organic acids, based on the fact that these compounds have a taste activity value (TAV) > 1. Wild MCs had a higher content of total FAAs, 5'-nucleotides, betaine, and organic acids in meat compared with cultured animals. However, no differences in the taste active compound levels were observed in the gonads of wild and cultured MCs, with betaine being the exception (wild crab > cultured crab). The total concentrations of FAAs in MC ranged from 12.71 to 36.94 mg/g. Monosodium glutamate (MSG)-like FAAs were primarily contributed by glutamic acid, and ranged from 0.71 to 0.93 mg/g. The concentrations of 5'-nucleotides were 1.10-2.24 mg/g, in which 5'-inosine monophosphate (IMP) and 5'-adenosine monophosphate (AMP) were the predominant TAVs (TAV > 1). The total concentrations of organic acids in MC were 2.41-11.10 mg/g, in which lactic and succinic acid in meat, and citric acid and succinic acid in female gonads were the main organic acids. The gonads were observed to have higher concentrations of 5'-nucleotides and organic acids compared with crab meat, with the equivalent umami concentration in gonads being higher than that in crab meat. In conclusion, wild MCs contained more active-taste nonvolatile flavor components relative to those detected in cultured MCs.