Comparative Characterization of Odor-Active Compounds and Fatty Acids in Five Pork Cuts

Characterizing flavor differences among pork cuts is important for understanding their quality characteristics and supporting cut-specific processing and product development. Five pork cuts were therefore systematically characterized using sensory evaluation, SAFE-GC-O-QTOF, aroma extract dilution analysis, quantitative analysis, odor activity values (OAVs), fatty acid profiling, and multivariate statistical analysis. Sensory results showed that different cuts exhibited distinct odor profiles. Specifically, pork belly had more pronounced meaty and fatty aromas, while pork ham exhibited stronger hard-boiled egg and metallic notes. A total of 62 odor-active compounds (OACs) were identified, of which 43 were quantified, with total OAC concentrations ranging from 2471 to 10,954 μg/kg. Combining OAV and multivariate statistical analysis identified seven potential differential OACs. The total fatty acid (FA) contents in different cuts ranged from 262.99 to 3083.98 mg/100 g, and 18 potential differential FAs were identified. Correlation analysis further indicated that FAs were broadly associated with lipid-oxidation-related OACs, whereas the associations between OACs and specific sensory attributes are more concentrated and exhibit attribute-specific differences. The study results reveal flavor differences among different pork cuts from sensory characteristics, OACs, and FAs, providing a theoretical basis for the evaluation of flavor quality and the differentiated processing and utilization of pork cuts.