Abstract:In this research, electronic nose (E-nose) and Headspace solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) combined with Odor activity value (OAV) were used to evaluate and compare the volatile components and odor-active compounds of stinky tofu brines from companies in Changsha, the four samples included brines of Z1, J1 that just finished fermented and of Z2, JP that used for soaking tofu. The electronic nose results showed that the principal component analysis (PCA) could distinguish among four different varieties of stinky tofu brines, the electronic nose radar profiles and synthetic principal component could show that the higher value of electronic nose sensors were S1, S8 and S7, which were sensitive to aromatic compounds, hydrogen nitride and oxygenated derivatives of aliphatic hydrocarbons. The HS-SPME-GC-MS result showed that 25 volatiles were identified in four stinky tofu brines. Among all compounds, 22, 15, 3 and 6 were found in brines of Z1, J1, Z2 and JP, with the total concentration of 688.616, 58.927, 5.75 and 0.65 μg/mL, respectively. By OAV analysis, aromatic compounds, including phenol, p-cresol, 4-ethylphenol, indole and 3-methylindole were some common odor-active compounds in four stinky tofu brines. Oxygenated derivatives of aliphatic hydrocarbons as butyric acid and isovaleric acid were common odor-active compounds in Z1 and J1 stinky tofu brines, in addition, dimethyl disulfide, dimethyl trisulfide and methanethiol were odor-active compounds only in Z1. Overall, the results of GC-MS, OAV and E-nose were consistent.