Utilization of i-TRAQ technology to determine protein modifications in pork soup in response to addition of salt

The potential of proteomics in the study of processed meat products

Proteomics is a field that has grown rapidly since its emergence in the mid-1990s, reaching many disciplines such as food technology. The application of proteomic techniques in the study of complex biological samples such as foods, specifically meat products, allows scientists to decipher the underlying cellular mechanisms behind different quality traits. Lately, much emphasis has been placed on the discovery of biomarkers that facilitate the prediction of biochemical transformations of the product and provide key information on parameters associated with traceability and food safety. This review study focuses on the contribution of proteomics in the improvement of processed meat products. Different techniques and strategies have recently been successfully carried out in the study of the proteome of these products that can help the development of foods with a higher sensory quality, while ensuring consumer safety through early detection of microbiological contamination and fraud. SIGNIFICANCE: The food industry and the academic world work together with the aim of responding to market demands, always seeking excellence. In particular, the meat industry has to face a series of challenges such as, achieving sensory attributes in accordance with the standards required by the consumer and maintaining a high level of safety and transparency, avoiding deliver adulterated and/or contaminated products. This review work exposes how the aforementioned challenges are attempted to be solved through proteomic technology, discussing the latest and most outstanding research in this regard, which undoubtedly contribute to improving the quality, in all the extension of the word, of meat products, providing relevant knowledge in the field of proteomic research.

Characterization of the key aroma compounds in pork broth by sensory-directed flavor analysis

The solvent-assisted flavor evaporation, sensory evaluation, and partial least squares regression analysis were used to screen the relatively better flavor of pork broth among different stewing time (1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 h). A total of 48 volatile compounds were successfully characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in the pork broth, which stewed for 4 h. The dominant volatiles were confirmed by aroma extract dilution analysis. Twenty-seven odorants with flavor dilution factors between 2 and 1,024 were identified. Among them, odor activity values of 19 components were greater than or equal to 1. An aroma recombination test was performed, and a similar flavor (93.04 %) was simulated. Omission test further confirmed that 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone, hexanal, 1-octen-3-ol, (E)-2-octenal, (E)-2-decenal, (E)-2-undecanal, (E, E)-2,4-decadienal, nonanoic acid, decanoic acid, 2-heptanone, 3-hydroxy-2-butanone, δ-decanolactone, and 2-acetylpyrrole were the key odorants of the aroma profile of pork broth. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Pork broth is popular in China, but lacks the study of its key aroma compounds, which restricts its industrial production. This study researched the optimum stewing time of pork broth and analyzed its key aroma compounds. Finally, the flavor profile can be obtained and understood. This study could provide a reference and further promote research on pork flavor.

Application of Proteomic Technologies to Assess the Quality of Raw Pork and Pork Products: An Overview from Farm-To-Fork

The quality assurance of pork meat and products includes the study of factors prior to slaughter such as handling practices, diet and castration, and others during the post-mortem period such as aging, storage, and cooking. The development over the last two decades of high-throughput techniques such as proteomics offer great opportunities to examine the molecular mechanisms and study a priori the proteins in the living pigs and main post-mortem changes and post-translational modifications during the conversion of the muscle into the meat. When the most traditional crossbreeding and rearing strategies to improve pork quality were assessed, the main findings indicate that metabolic pathways early post-mortem were affected. Among the factors, it is well documented that pre-slaughter stress provokes substantial changes in the pork proteome that led to defective meat, and consequently, novel protein biomarkers should be identified and validated. Additionally, modifications in pork proteins had a strong effect on the sensory attributes due to the impact of processing, either physical or chemical. Maillard compounds and protein oxidation should be monitored in order to control proteolysis and volatile compounds. Beyond this, the search of bioactive peptides is becoming a paramount goal of the food and nutraceutical industry. In this regard, peptidomics is a major tool to identify and quantify these peptides with beneficial effects for human health.