Physicochemical characteristics and key aroma evolution in sauced duck curing

Sauced duck is valued for its distinctive aroma, yet the physicochemical drivers and key odorants formed during curing remain unclear, limiting process control and quality standardization. We sought to determine when and which odorants define sauced-duck aroma and how they relate to measurable physicochemical changes. We combined physicochemical assays (pH, WHC, protein/fat, color, texture), E-nose, HS-SPME-GC-MS, multivariate modeling (OPLS-DA), odor-activity values (OAVs), and aroma recombination/omission tests across curing stages. We identified 82 volatiles; 23 had VIP > 1 and OAV > 1. Recombination-omission verified 10 core odorants-anethole, heptanal, nonanal, phenylacetaldehyde, 2-octenal, 2-nonenal, trans-2-decenal, 2-heptenal, 1-octen-3-ol, and 1-octen-3-one-as necessary for the characteristic aroma. E-nose and multivariate analyses showed that most aroma reconfiguration occurred within the first five days, coinciding with rapid shifts in WHC, color (↑a*, ↑b*, ↓L*), and texture. By linking stage-specific physicochemical transitions to verified key odorants, this work provides actionable markers and a time window to optimize curing. The integrated sensomics workflow offers a practical basis for flavor evaluation, curing-time optimization, and quality control in industrial sauced-duck production.