Minimizing spice usage while retaining flavor signatures of spiced pork via integrative flavoromics and sensory...

Traditional Chinese spiced pork is renowned for its appealing flavor, which conventionally relies on substantial amount of spice addition. To achieve more cost-effective production of marinated meat products, this study designed a spice-reduced formulation. 10 key aroma-active compounds were identified in the optimal sensory group. Furthermore, the spice-reduced formulation achieved an 84% reduction in spice usage and retained 70% of key aroma-active compounds, using only 0.2% (w/v) each of peppercorn, cassia, clove and 0.1% (w/v) basil. This work demonstrates a viable strategy for achieving minimalist spice formulation in marinated meat products, offering practical guidance on balancing cost efficiency with sensory authenticity.