Research on the migration mechanism of volatile substances from garlic in light soy sauce

This study aimed to elucidate how garlic-derived volatile compounds, particularly sulfur-containing odorants, dynamically migrate and accumulate within the complex matrix of light soy sauce over time. The volatile profiles at different migration intervals were analyzed using an electronic nose (E-nose) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Systematic evaluations of differences in odor profiles and dynamic changes in volatile compounds were conducted through odor activity value (OAV) analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). E-nose analysis demonstrated that prolonged migration times facilitated the transfer of sulfur-containing volatile compounds from garlic into light soy sauce, significantly increasing the response values of sensors TA/2 and T40/1 ( p  < 0.05), thereby altering the aroma characteristics of the soy sauce. GC-MS analysis revealed that as migration time increased, the concentration of sulfur-containing volatile compounds(0 → 140000 μg/L) from garlic in light soy sauce significantly rose ( p  < 0.05). OAV analysis suggested that the aroma profile of garlic-flavored soy sauce resulted from the combined contributions of sulfur-containing compounds and the major volatile components of soy sauce. VIP analysis based on OAV and OPLS-DA identified 18 key substances, including methyl valerate and isobutylbenzene, as the primary contributors to the differences among samples at various migration times. A key finding was the linear positive correlation observed between the migration quantity of garlic odor compounds migrating into soy sauce and migration time. This study enhances our understanding of the migration mechanisms of garlic flavor substances in light soy sauce.