Physicochemical characteristics and key aroma evolution in sauced duck curing

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Sensory Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Sauced duck's desirable aroma lacks clear understanding of its chemical drivers.
• Limited knowledge of key odorants and physicochemical changes hinders process control and quality standardization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key odorants defining sauced duck aroma during curing.
• To correlate aroma development with physicochemical changes.
• To establish optimal curing parameters for consistent flavor.

Main Methods:

• Combined physicochemical assays (pH, WHC, color, texture), electronic-nose (E-nose), headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS).
• Utilized multivariate modeling (OPLS-DA), odor-activity values (OAVs), and aroma recombination/omission tests.
• Analyzed volatiles across different curing stages.

Main Results:

• Identified 82 volatile compounds, with 23 deemed significant (VIP > 1 and OAV > 1).
• Verified 10 core odorants crucial for characteristic sauced duck aroma.
• Observed significant aroma reconfiguration and physicochemical shifts (WHC, color, texture) within the first five days of curing.

Conclusions:

• Established a link between specific physicochemical transitions and key odorant formation during curing.
• Provided actionable markers and a defined time window for optimizing sauced duck curing.
• Developed an integrated sensomics workflow for flavor evaluation and quality control in industrial production.