Characterization of key aromas in different breeds of pork based on molecular sensory science and computational
Zhiqing Tian1, Wusun Li1, Jialin Li1
1Institute of Quality Standard & Testing Technology for Agro-Products, Key Laboratory of Agro-product Quality and Safety, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, PR China.
Abstract:
Thermal processing profoundly reshapes food aroma, yet the characterization of key aromas in different breeds of pork is still limited. In this study, five pork breeds, including Bama Xiang pig (BM), Shenxian×Landrace (SX), Rongchang pig (RC), Tibetan pig (ZX), and the Duroc×Landrace×Yorkshire (DLY), were selected for comparative analysis of their flavor characteristics. The characteristic aroma profiles of five breeds of pork cooked at high temperatures were analyzed using headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC-MS), gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O), aroma recombination, and Omission experiments. Six key aroma-active compounds, including 2-acetylthiazole, 2-pentylfuran, hexanal, (E)-2-heptenal, (E)-2-nonenal, and benzaldehyde, were the breed-characteristic key contributors following high-temperature cooking. In order to explore the potential interactions between Maillard reaction-derived aroma compounds and human olfactory receptors (ORs), the interactions between 215 ORs and aroma compounds were investigated using computational chemistry. The results indicated that there might be a molecular interaction between 2-acetylthiazole and OR5K1.
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