Influence of Frying Batches and Oil Oxidation on Sensory Properties and Volatile Compounds of Batter-Coated Meat...

Repeated frying in soybean oil affects the flavor quality of fried meat products, but the mechanisms underlying flavor evolution remain unclear. Batter-coated meat strips (BCMSs) were used to investigate flavor changes during repeated frying. Sensory characteristics were evaluated using Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) and Temporal Dominance of Sensations (TDS), combined with electronic nose, electronic tongue, GC-MS, GC-MS/MS, and physicochemical analyses of frying oil. The results showed that BCMS flavor quality followed a "first improvement then deterioration" trend with increasing frying cycles. Samples fried within six to 30 batches exhibited the most desirable sensory characteristics, whereas prolonged frying increased greasy, oxidized, and rancid attributes. Lipid oxidation-derived volatile compounds were closely associated with oil deterioration and negative sensory perceptions. Overall, six to 30 frying batches were identified as the optimal frying range for BCMSs, and lipid oxidation was confirmed as the primary mechanism driving flavor deterioration during repeated frying.