Flavor enhancement during the drying of scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) as revealed by integrated metabolomic and lipidomic analysis

Dried scallops are a typical shellfish commodity, but the molecular change mechanism in the drying process is not clear. In this paper, the effect of drying on the flavor of scallops was revealed by integrated metabolomic and lipidomic analysis. The results showed that 70 °C was the best temperature for hot air drying, and the moisture content of the scallops was less than 20% after 12 h of drying, which meets the commercial standards for dried scallops. A total of 53 volatile compounds were detected in dried scallops, of which 2,5-dimethyl pyrazine and tetramethyl pyrazine, as characteristic flavor compounds, changed significantly during drying. In addition, taste peptides such as Arg-Gly and Gly-Gly, produced by protein degradation during drying, may contribute to the umami perception of dried scallops. This study helped to increase the overall quality of dried scallops.