A Comprehensive Characterization of Heat Treatment-Induced Changes in Volatile Compounds and Flavor Attributes Among...

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Agricultural Science
• Sensory Science

Background:

• Lotus root is a nutritious vegetable with diverse culinary applications.
• Thermal processing significantly impacts its sensory and chemical properties.
• Understanding these effects is crucial for product development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of microwave (MW), sous-vide (SV), and air frying (AF) on lotus root quality.
• To compare the effects across three lotus root varieties: Zaohua, SW, and E9:11.
• To identify optimal processing methods for enhancing lotus root characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of texture, color, volatile, and nonvolatile components.
• Application of three distinct thermal processing techniques: MW, SV, and AF.
• Utilized odor activity value (OAV) and variable importance in projection (VIP) for aroma compound identification.

Main Results:

• SV processing excelled in preserving texture, color, and umami compounds, especially in the SW variety.
• Air frying (AF) significantly improved texture and flavor compounds, enhancing overall edible quality.
• Microwave (MW) and SV treatments yielded similar volatile profiles; specific varieties showed unique aromatic potentials (e.g., pyrazines in E9:11, ketones in Zaohua).

Conclusions:

• Sous-vide (SV) is recommended for maintaining intrinsic lotus root quality.
• Air frying (AF) is effective for enhancing flavor and texture attributes.
• Processing method selection should consider the specific lotus root variety for optimal product development.