Profiling of Volatile Organic Compounds of Commercial Fermented Soybean Products in Korea Using HS-SPME/GC-MS

Soybeans are an important part of the Korean diet and have been used as an ingredient in various dishes.This study analyzed the volatile flavor profiles of Korean fermented soybean products to establish a scientific basis for quality management.Eleven types of fermented soybean products were collected, and their comprehensive volatile compound patterns were investigated using headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.As a result, 127 volatile compounds were identified, consisting of 6 acids, 16 alcohols, 11 aldehydes, 32 esters, four furans, 13 ketones, eight phenols, nine pyrazines, 18 sulfur-containing compounds, three terpenoids, and seven others.In doenjang samples, esters, alcohols, aldehydes, and pyrazines were identified as the major compound classes.Among them, ethyl linoleate, ethyl acetate, ethanol, 2-methylbutanal, 3-methylbutanal, and tetramethylpyrazine were present in relatively high concentrations.The major components of gochujang were alcohols and esters, while ketones and pyrazines were dominant in cheonggukjang.In the ganjang samples, alcohols, acids, and aldehydes were confirmed as the primary volatile compounds.These results suggest that a database of volatile flavor characteristics for commercial Korean fermented soybean products can serve as a valuable reference for evaluating the quality status and supporting product development through systematic quality control.