Comparison of physicochemical characteristics, sensory properties and volatile composition between commercial and New Zealand made wakame from Undaria pinnatifida

This study aims to obtain chemical and sensory profiles of the New Zealand wakame from Undaria pinnatifida for the first time since the lift of its commercial harvest in May 2010. We compared mannitol content, sensory quality and volatile profiles of wakame produced from New Zealand U. pinnatifida with Japanese and Korean commercial samples. Sensory analysis showed that New Zealand wakame processed in August was different from commercially available wakame in texture only. A total of 10 alkanes, 5 ester, 3 alcohol, 13 aldehyde, 8 ketone and 2 alkyne were detected in the two New Zealand processed wakame samples. Mannitol content in freeze-dried U. pinnatifida was also measured and result showed that mannitol was the only free carbohydrate in U. pinnatifida.