FISHY OFF-FLAVOR TRAIT IN HUMAN AND ANIMAL DUE TO TRIMETHYLAMINE CONTENT AND FMO3 GENE MUTATIONS: A REVIEW

Fishy odour of urine and other secretions in human is a characteristic of trimethylaminuria, which was first reported resulting from loss-of-function mutations in the flavin-containing monooxygenase isoform FMO3. The similar phenotypes exist in cattle, pig, chicken, duck and quail in which fishy off-flavor in cow’s milk, chicken and quail eggs, boar taint in pigs, meat quality in duck were performed. The fishy off-flavor is attributed to the accumulation of excreted odorous trimethylamine (TMA), which is normally metabolised by the liver enzyme flavin-containing monooxygenase 3 (FMO3), oxidizing malodorous TMA into odorless TMA N-oxide (TMAO) in vivo. The TMA content is considered as the precursor of the fishy off-flavor problems. In the present study, we discussed the trimethylamine content in human body, cow’s milk and chicken eggs which is the precursor of fishy off-flavor as well as FMO3 gene mutation/s which would be helpful further research in future.