Impact of Bacillus tropicus on the protein characteristics and flavor of fermented ovate pompano(Trachinotus ovatus)
To investigate the effects of inoculating Bacillus tropicus MX-8 on the texture and flavor changes of fer-mented ovate pompano(Trachinotus ovatus),the dynamic changes in texture,flavor,and protein characteristics were analyzed in the ovate pompano with body weight of(500±50)g fermented with proteinase-producing strain Ba-cillus tropicus MX-8 from traditional fermented T.ovatus for 20 days during different fermentation stages.The results showed that significant improvements in hardness,elasticity,and chewiness in the fish flesh were found in the inoc-ulated fermentation group compared to the traditional fermentation as fermentation time extension.The total thiol content and Ca2+-ATPase activity of myofibrillar proteins largely remained stable during inoculated fermentation,while there was a notable reduction in carbonyl content.Furthermore,HS-GC-IMS analysis identified 57 volatile compounds in the fish flesh post-inoculated fermentation,more than what was found in the traditional fermentation group,indicating that inoculated fermentation enhanced the flavor of the ovate pompano.The inoculation with Bacil-lus tropicus MX-8 fermentation agent not only effectively inhibited protein oxidation,improved the overall mouthfeel and flavor of fermented ovate pompano,but also enhanced product safety and stability to some extent.The findings provide important theoretical basis and foundational data for the process development of inoculated fermentation of T.ovatus.