Key odorants and pretreatment-driven aroma changes in canned Antarctic krill: sensory validation toward pretreatment optimization

BACKGROUND Pretreatments can markedly influence the aroma of canned Antarctic krill ( Euphausia superba ) and alter sensory perception, yet sensory-validated chemical evidence for interpreting pretreatment-driven aroma differences remains limited. This study aimed to identify and validate the key odorants associated with pretreatment-driven aroma differences in canned Antarctic krill, thereby providing flavor-relevant evidence for pretreatment comparison and optimization. RESULTS Quantitative descriptive analysis and E-nose pattern recognition showed clear pretreatment-dependent aroma differences. Aroma-active compounds and pretreatment-driven changes were characterized by gas chromatography–olfactometry–mass spectrometry and prioritized using detection frequency (DF) and flavor dilution (FD) criteria, targeted quantification and odor activity value (OAV) calculation. Forty-eight volatile organic compounds were detected, among which 13 odorants met the criteria of DF ≥ 3, FD ≥ 8 and OAV ≥ 1. Aroma recombination reproduced the sensory profile of the pretreatment associated with the strongest shrimp-like and briny notes, and omission experiments combined with triangle tests confirmed trimethylamine, ( Z )-4-heptenal, 1-octen-3-ol, nonanal and 1-penten-3-ol as pivotal contributors ( P < 0.05). Salt soaking followed by blanching shifted the sensory profile toward stronger shrimp-like and briny notes, consistent with changes in the key odorant set. CONCLUSION The verified odorants provide practical indicators for comparing pretreatments and selecting conditions that improve aroma quality in canned krill. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.