Comparison of Aroma and Taste Profiles Between Two Fermented Pea Pastes Using Intelligent Sensory Analysis and Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

The traditionally produced pea paste (PP) suffers from suboptimal flavor and inferior quality. Based on the study of single-strain fermentation, we further selected <i>S. cerevisiae</i>, <i>Z. rouxii</i>, and <i>L. paracasei</i> for PP production by dual-strain fermentation (SL, ZL). By combining intelligent sensory technology, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) technology, the aroma and taste characteristics of SL- and ZL-fermented PP were compared. The electronic nose and tongue revealed the differences in the aroma and taste characteristics between the two fermentation methods for fermenting PP. In total, 74 volatile compounds (VOCs) in PP were identified through GC-MS analysis. In contrast, the number of VOCs and the concentrations of alcohols and acids compounds in SL were higher than in ZL. Among the 15 VOCs that were common to both and had significant differences, the concentrations of ethanol, 1-pentanol, and ethyl acetate were higher in SL. For taste characteristics, SL demonstrated significantly higher levels of sweet and bitter amino acids, as well as tartaric acid, compared with ZL. These results elucidate the flavor differences of dual-strain fermented PP, providing a theoretical basis for selecting suitable strains for fermenting PP.