Effect of different types of smoking materials on the flavor, heterocyclic aromatic amines, and sensory property of smoked chicken drumsticks

Research Progress on the Mechanism of the Impact of Myofibrillar Protein Oxidation on the Flavor of Meat Products

Myofibrillar proteins primarily consist of myosin, actin, myogenin, and actomyosin. These proteins form complex networks within muscle fibers and are crucial to the physical and chemical properties of meat. Additionally, myofibrillar proteins serve as significant substrates for the adsorption of volatile flavor compounds, including aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, and sulfur and nitrogen compounds, which contribute to the overall flavor profile of meat products. A series of chemical reactions occur during the processing, storage, and transportation of meat products. Oxidation is one of the most significant reactions. Oxidative modification can alter the physical and chemical properties of proteins, ultimately impacting the sensory quality of meat products, including flavor, taste, and color. In recent years, considerable attention has been focused on the effects of protein oxidation on meat quality and its regulation. This study investigates the impact of myofibrillar protein oxidation on the sensory attributes of meat products by analyzing the oxidation processes and the factors that initiate myofibrillar protein oxidation. Additionally, it explores the control of myofibrillar protein oxidation and its implications on the sensory properties of meat products, providing theoretical insights relevant to meat processing methods and quality control procedures.

Effects of potential key substances in woodchips smoldering smoke on the formation of heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Frankfurter sausages

The Frankfurter sausages smoked with beech, oak, and alder, respectively, were used to clarify the underlying impact of the smoke chemical composition on the levels of heterocyclic amines (HAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The result indicated that different wood types significantly affected the profiles of target substances in food matrices. The beech-smoked samples had lower contents of total free HAs (5.98-6.80 ng/g dry-weight-DW), PAH4 (3.31-3.83 ng/g DW), and PAH8 (10.0-10.8 ng/g DW), whereas the alder pyrolysis usually led to higher hazardous residues (8.26-9.19 ng/g DW of total free HAs, 4.24-6.60 ng/g DW of PAH4 and 14.1-23.3 ng/g DW of PAH8). In addition, the differences in smoke chemical composition were attributed to the different proportions of 15 key identified substances. Among them, two aldehydes (5-methyl-furfural & furfural) and two phenols (phenol & 5-hydroxymaltol) may have synergistic or competitive inhibitory effects on the formation of HAs and PAHs in smoked meat products.

Unraveling the flavor profiles of chicken meat: Classes, biosynthesis, influencing factors in flavor development, and sensory evaluation

Chicken is renowned as the most affordable meat option, prized by consumers worldwide for its unique flavor, and universally recognized for its essential savory flavor. Current research endeavors are increasingly dedicated to exploring the flavor profile of chicken meat. However, there is a noticeable gap in comprehensive reviews dedicated specifically to the flavor quality of chicken meat, although existing reviews cover meat flavor profiles of various animal species. This review aims to fill this gap by synthesizing knowledge from published literature to describe the compounds, chemistry reaction, influencing factors, and sensory evaluation associated with chicken meat flavor. The flavor compounds in chicken meat mainly included water-soluble low-molecular-weight substances and lipids, as well as volatile compounds such as aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, acids, esters, hydrocarbons, furans, nitrogen, and sulfur-containing compounds. The significant synthesis pathways of flavor components were Maillard reaction, Strecker degradation, lipid oxidation, lipid-Maillard interaction, and thiamine degradation. Preslaughter factors, including age, breed/strain, rearing management, muscle type, and sex of chicken, as well as postmortem conditions such as aging, cooking conditions, and low-temperature storage, were closely linked to flavor development and accounted for the significant differences observed in flavor components. Moreover, the sensory methods used to evaluate the chicken meat flavor were elaborated. This review contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the flavor profile of chicken meat. It can serve as a guide for enhancing chicken meat flavor quality and provide a foundation for developing customized chicken products.

GC-IMS-Based Volatile Characteristic Analysis of Hypsizygus marmoreus Dried by Different Methods

Gas chromatography-ion mobility spectroscopy (GC-IMS) was used to analyze the volatile components in dried Hypsizygus marmoreus of different drying methods, including hot air drying (HAD), heat pump drying (HPD), heated freeze-drying (HFD), and unheated freeze-drying (UFD). A total of 116 signal peaks corresponding to 96 volatile compounds were identified, including 25 esters, 24 aldehydes, 23 alcohols, 13 ketones, 10 heterocyclic compounds, 8 carboxylic acids, 7 terpenes, 3 sulfur-containing compounds, 2 nitrogen-containing compounds, and 1 aromatic hydrocarbon. The total content of volatile compounds in H. marmoreus dried by the four methods, from highest to lowest, was as follows: HAD, HPD, HFD, and UFD. The main volatile compounds included carboxylic acids, alcohols, esters, and aldehydes. Comparing the peak intensities of volatile compounds in dried H. marmoreus using different drying methods, it was found that the synthesis of esters, aldehydes, and terpenes increased under hot drying methods such as HAD and HPD, while the synthesis of compounds containing sulfur and nitrogen increased under freeze-drying methods such as HFD and UFD. Nine common key characteristic flavor compounds of dried H. marmoreus were screened using relative odor activity values (ROAV > 1), including ethyl 3-methylbutanoate, acetic acid, 2-methylbutanal, propanal, methyl 2-propenyl sulfate, trimethylamine, 3-octanone, acetaldehide, and thiophene. In the odor description of volatile compounds with ROAV > 0.1, it was found that important flavor components such as trimethylamine, 3-octanone, (E)-2-octenal, and dimethyl disulfide are related to the aroma of seafood. Their ROAV order is HFD > UFD > HPD > HAD, indicating that H. marmoreus using the HFD method have the strongest seafood flavor. The research findings provide theoretical guidance for selecting drying methods and refining the processing of H. marmoreus.

Effects of different mixed starter cultures on microbial communities, taste and aroma compounds of traditional Chinese fermented sausages

The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the effects of different mixed starter cultures (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Staphylococcus simulans) on the bacterial communities and flavor of fermented sausages. The results indicated that native starters grew well in fermented sausages and became dominant at the end of ripening. Among them, Lactobacillus spp. had the highest relative abundance, followed by Staphylococcus spp. In addition, the inoculation of the mixed starters promoted the formation of taste and aroma compounds that contribute to the overall flavor of the fermented sausages. Among them, the L. plantarum CQ01107 + S. simulans CD207 (CCA) treatment was found to have the highest umami amino acid, nucleotide, lactic acid, fatty acid and ketone contents (P < 0.05), as well as excellent sensory properties. In conclusion, the CCA starter may be a desirable starter culture to enhance the flavor of fermented sausages.

Understanding the heterocyclic aromatic amines: An overview and recent findings

Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) constitute a group of highly toxic organic compounds strongly associated with the onset of various types of cancer. This paper aims to serve as a valuable resource for food scientists working towards a better understanding of these compounds including formation, minimizing strategies, analysis, and toxicity as well as addressing existing gaps in the literature. Despite extensive research conducted on these compounds since their discovery, several aspects remain inadequately understood, necessitating further investigation. These include their formation pathways, toxic mechanisms, effective mitigation strategies, and specific health effects on humans. Nonetheless, recent research has yielded promising results, contributing significantly to our understanding of HAAs by proposing new potential formation pathways and innovative strategies for their reduction.

Spotlight on autochthonous microbiota, morpho-textural characteristics, and volatilome of a traditional Polish cold-smoked raw sausage

The aim of the present study was to obtain information on the bacterial diversity of traditional Polish cold-smoked raw sausages (Kiełbasa polska wędzona) manufactured by two artisanal producers using different selective growth media and a metataxonomic analysis. Physico-chemical and morpho-textural characteristics were also carried out, together with Microextraction-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (HS-SPMEGC/MS) to study the volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The results overall obtained allowed a picture of the microbiota, the morpho-textural characteristics, and the volatilome of traditional Polish cold-smoked raw sausages (Kiełbasa polska wędzona) to be drawn for the first time. In more detail, viable counting revealed active populations of presumptive lactobacilli, enterococci, coagulase-negative cocci, and a few spoilage microorganisms typically occurring in raw meat products. The metataxonomic analysis revealed the dominance of Latilactobacillus sakei occurring with a relative frequency between 77% and 89%. Pediococcus pentosaceus, Weissella hellenica, and Leuconostoc carnosum were detected among the minority taxa. In the sausages herein studied, no histamine levels of concern were detected. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) performed on the Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) did not show significant differences in the microbiota composition among producers. The HS-SPMEGC/MS analysis allowed the detection and identification of more than 90 volatile components belonging to ten main classes, namely: aldehydes, ketones, esters and acetates, acids, alcohols, phenols, furans, sulphur compounds, terpenoids, and benzene derivatives. The detected VOCs originated from spices, smoke, and microbial metabolism. The PCA of volatile compounds allowed differences between the sausage samples of the two producers to be identified.

Characterization of key aroma compounds in Chinese smoked duck by SAFE-GC-O-MS and aroma-recombination experiments

Smoked duck is a popular meat product in China. The aroma profile and key aroma compounds in smoked ducks were elucidated using solvent-assisted flavor evaporation-gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry (SAFE-GC-O-MS), odor activity values (OAVs), aroma recombination and omission experiments, and sensory evaluation. The results indicated that the predominant aroma profiles of rice-, tea oil- and sugarcane-smoked ducks all contained strong smoky, roasty, fatty, meaty, and grassy aromas. A total of 31 aroma compounds were identified as important odorants by OAVs, including 8 aldehydes, 6 pyrazines, 5 phenols, and 2 sulfur compounds. The aroma recombination and omission experiments confirmed that 13 odorants were key aroma compounds in smoked ducks. Of these odorants, 2-methoxyphenol, 4-methylphenol, 5-ethyl-2,3-dimethylpyrazine, methional, 2-methyl-3-furanthiol, (E, E)-2,4-decadienal, 1-octen-3-ol, and anethole significantly contributed to the aroma profile of smoked duck flavor (p < 0.01).

Effects of volatile organic compounds of smoke from different woods on the heterocyclic amine formation and quality changes in pork patty

This study investigated the effects of smoke derived from cypress (CY), mulberry (MU), metasequoia (ME), pine (PI), and camphor (CA) on the heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAs), flavor, and sensory attributes of smoked pork patty. The results showed that the smoke derived from the five kinds of wood and the flavor of the corresponding smoked meat were classified into three types. Moreover, the smoke of CY and PI, and the smoke of MU and ME can be classified into one category respectively, which significantly improved the flavor of the smoked meat. Both free and protein-bound HAs were detected in smoked meat, while the smoking process significantly increased the HAs content, especially free Norharman (3.26 ng/g in control meat, and 82.24 ng/g in meat smoked with CY). Correlation analysis showed that various volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and HAs were closely associated. Future research should pay attention to the VOCs in smoked meat including vanillin, Close attention should be paid to tridecane and crotonic acid, as well as tetradecane and α-Dehydro-ar-himachalene in smoke, which were consistently correlated with various HAs and may participate in HAs formation. These results may reveal how the smoking process influences the formation of HAs and which factors should be targeted to inhibit HAs in smoked meat products.

Effect of Fat to Lean Meat Ratios on the Formation of Volatile Compounds in Mutton Shashliks

This study aimed to investigate the release of volatile compounds in mutton shashliks (named as F_xL_y, x-fat cubes: 0-4; y-lean cubes: 4-0) with different fat-lean ratios before and during consumption, respectively. In total, 67 volatile compounds were identified in shashliks using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Aldehyde, alcohol, and ketone were the major volatile substances, accounting for more than 75% of the total volatile compounds. There were significant differences in the volatile compounds of mutton shashliks with different fat-lean ratios. With the increase of the fat content, the types and content of volatile substances released also increase. However, when the percentage of fat exceeded 50%, the number of furans and pyrazine, which were characteristic of the volatile compounds of roasted meat, was decreased. The release of volatiles during the consumption of mutton shashliks was measured using the exhaled breath test and the results showed that adding an appropriate amount of fat (<50%) helps to enrich the volatile compound components in the mouth. However, shashliks with higher fat-lean ratios (>2:2) shorten the mastication duration and weaken the breakdown of bolus particles in the consumption process, which is not conducive to the release potential of volatile substances. Therefore, setting the fat to lean ratio to 2:2 is the best choice for making mutton shashliks, as it (F₂L₂) can provide rich flavor substances for mutton shashliks before and during consumption.

The impact of temperature-controlled smoldering smoking on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic amines contents in Frankfurter-type sausages

The impact of temperature-controlled smoldering smoking conditions on the accumulations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic amines (HAs) in Frankfurter-type sausages was investigated. Depending on the temperature, smoking can be divided into two phases: an unstable pyrolysis stage (≈ 200 s) and a stable pyrolysis stage (>200 s), which had different effects on hazardous substances contents. The unstable pyrolysis stage, which contributed 66.9 ∼ 89.6% of PAH accumulations by comparing with sausages smoked for 15 min, has significant impact on high PAH residues. By contrast, the contents of HAs showed steady increase trends with smoking time. Few types of free-HAs with low concentrations (3.05 ∼ 22.9 ng/g DW), but more types of bound-HAs with much higher levels (10.8 ∼ 396 ng/g DW) were found. In addition, the formation of some HAs followed the first-order reaction model. However, the detailed formation mechanisms of PAHs and HAs under temperature-controlled smoldering smoking conditions remain to be studied.

Effect of gamma irradiation treatment on microstructure, water mobility, flavor, sensory and quality properties of smoked chicken breast

Effect of gamma irradiation on quality, flavor and sensory properties of smoked chicken breasts were investigated. Results indicated irradiation doses >3 kGy were effective for sterilization, while also produced a significant effect on overall quality of smoked chicken breast. Irradiation treatment could inhibit protein oxidation and accelerate lipid oxidation of smoked chicken breasts. High irradiation doses could increase the instability of free and bound water, as well as increase muscle fiber gap and juice loss significantly. Irradiation treatment also promoted free fatty acids and taste-presenting nucleotides degradation, effectively increased fresh-tasting amino acids contents and decreased bitter and sweet-tasting amino acids contents. The types and relative contents of volatiles, especially aldehydes, alcohols, aromatic hydrocarbons, and phenolic compounds, also changed after irradiation, while tartaric, pyruvic, and malic acids decreased. Results obtained can provide valuable reference data for improving the quality and flavor of smoked chicken breasts using gamma irradiation technology.

The Effects of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) on the Formation of Heterocyclic Amines (HAs) in Meat Patties, under Different Smoking Temperatures and Durations

In this study, UPLC-MS/MS was used to study the effects of smoking duration and temperature on the formation of heterocyclic amines (HAs) in smoke-processed meat patties. Four kinds of free HAs—including F-7,8-DiMeIQx; F-MeAαC; F-Harman and F-Norharman—and six kinds of protein-bound HAs—including B-AαC; B-7,8-DiMeIQx; B-Glu-p-1; B-MeAαC; B-Harman and B-Norharman—were detected and quantified. Among the free HAs, we observed a 23-fold content increase (p < 0.05), from 0−4 h (at 0 h and 4 h they were 4.24 ng·g−1 and 98.33 ng·g−1, respectively), and the content of the free HAs decreased to 78.80 ng·g−1, at 5 h. At the same time, the free HAs content increased from 53.52 ng·g−1, at 50 °C, to 127.16 ng·g−1, at 60 °C, and then decreased continuously. The content of the free HAs was the highest at 60 °C. For the protein-bound HAs, their content was found to generally decrease with the increase in smoking duration and temperature. However, at 5 h, the content of protein-bound HAs slightly increased to 984.2 ng·g−1. Meanwhile, at 90 °C, it increased to 1643.53 ng·g−1. Additionally, a total of 16 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were found in all of the meat samples, of which 10 VOCs (one acid, three aldehydes and seven phenols) were significantly related to the formation of free HAs. These findings showed that all the different types of HAs were produced under low-temperature processing, which provided scientific insights into the potential generation of HAs during meat smoking processes and could be used as a reference to minimize the risks of cancer related to the consumption of smoked meat products.

Pantanal yacare (Caiman yacare) tail fillets subjected to traditional hot smoking and liquid smoke

BACKGROUND

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of hot smoking and liquid smoke on process yield, physicochemical properties, microbiological parameters, fatty acid profile, benzo(a)pyrene levels, and sensory profile of Pantanal yacare tail fillets. The fillets were subjected to two types of smoking processes: hot smoking and liquid smoke flavoring.

RESULTS

The process yield of liquid-smoked fillets was higher (69.8%) compared to hot-smoked fillets (58.0%). All fillets were with good microbiological quality and low benzo(a)pyrene levels and were well accepted by consumers. The hot-smoked fillets and the liquid-smoked fillets presented 456.2 and 589.7 g kg^-1 moisture, 262.3 and 263.7 g kg^-1 crude protein, 218 and 85 g kg^-1 total lipids, and 26.0 and 20.9 g kg^-1 ash, respectively. The major fatty acids identified in the smoked tail fillets were palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids.

CONCLUSION

The liquid-smoked fillets had lower lipid content, and higher process yield because of lower losses; thus, they proved to be more advantageous and practical to obtain than the hot-smoked fillets. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Insights into flavor and key influencing factors of Maillard reaction products: A recent update

During food processing, especially heating, the flavor and color of food change to a great extent due to Maillard reaction (MR). MR is a natural process for improving the flavor in various model systems and food products. Maillard reaction Products (MRPs) serve as ideal materials for the production of diverse flavors, which ultimately improve the flavor or reduce the odor of raw materials. Due to the complexity of the reaction, MR is affected by various factors, such as protein source, hydrolysis conditions, polypeptide molecular weight, temperature, and pH. In the recent years, much emphasis is given on conditional MR that could be used in producing of flavor-enhancing peptides and other compounds to increase the consumer preference and acceptability of processed foods. Recent reviews have highlighted the effects of MR on the functional and biological properties, without elaborating the flavor compounds obtained by the MR. In this review, we have mainly introduced the Maillard reaction-derived flavors (MF), the main substances producing MF, and detection methods. Subsequently, the main factors influencing MF, from the selection of materials (sugar sources, protein sources, enzymatic hydrolysis methods, molecular weights of peptides) to the reaction conditions (temperature, pH), are also described. In addition, the existing adverse effects of MR on the biological properties of protein are also pointed out.

Effects of ultrasound pretreatment on the quality, nutrients and volatile compounds of dry-cured yak meat

The objective of the present study was to assess the effects of ultrasound pretreatment on the quality of dry-cured yak meat. The ultrasonic power with 0, 200, 300 and 400 W (ultrasonic frequency of 20 kHz) were used to assist processing of dry-cured yak meat. The meat quality, nutrient substances, sensory quality, electronic nose, electronic tongue and volatile compounds of dry-cured yak meat were determined. The results indicated that the moisture content and hardness value of ultrasonic treatment group was significantly lower compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Ultrasonic treatment increased the value of b*, and decreased the value of L*, a*, pH, chewiness, melting temperature and enthalpy. Springiness value significantly increased from control group to 300 W of ultrasonic power group. Shear force significantly decreased with the increase of ultrasonic power (P < 0.05). Ultrasonic treatment had no effect on the TVB-N content, but it could increase the TBARS content. Ultrasonic treatment could significantly increase the essential FAA (EFAA) and total FAA (P < 0.05). In addition, the saturated fatty acid (SFA) content significantly increased with the increase of ultrasonic power (P < 0.05). Ultrasound treatment negatively affected the meat's color, smell, and taste but increased its tenderness and the overall acceptability. It also significantly increased alcohols and aldehydes contents (P < 0.05), which were consistent with the measurement of electronic nose and electronic tongue. The results demonstrated that the the appropriate ultrasonic power assisted in the processing improves quality of dry-cured yak meat, particularly for the power of 300 W.