Strategies to reduce fishy odor in aquatic products: Focusing on formation mechanism and mitigation means

Aquatic products, integral to human diets, often bear a distinct fishy odor that diminishes their appeal. Currently, the formation mechanisms of these odoriferous compounds are not fully understood, complicating their effective control. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of key fishy compounds, with a focus on their formation mechanisms and innovative methods for controlling fishy odors. Fishy odors in aquatic products arise not only from the surrounding environment but also from endogenous transformations due to lipid autoxidation, enzymatic reactions, degradation of trimethylamine oxide, and Strecker degradation. Methods such as sensory masking, adsorbent and biomaterial adsorption, nanoliposome encapsulation, heat treatment, vacuum treatment, chemical reactions, and biological metabolic transformations have been developed to control fishy odors. Investigating the formation mechanisms of fishy odors will provide solid foundational knowledge that can inspire creative approaches to controlling these unpleasant odors.