Volatile sulfur compounds contributing to meat flavour. Part. I. Components identified in boiled meat

Area of Science:

• Food Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Meat Science

Background:

• Volatile sulfur compounds significantly contribute to the characteristic aroma of cooked meat.
• Previous research has identified some sulfur compounds in meat, but a comprehensive analysis is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively identify and characterize volatile sulfur compounds in boiled meat.
• To expand the understanding of meat flavor profiles by detailing its sulfurous components.

Main Methods:

• Isolation of volatile sulfur compounds from boiled meat (Longissimus dorsi and shoulder) using mercuric chloride precipitation.
• Regeneration and analysis of isolated compounds via gas chromatography (GC).
• Identification of compounds using Kovats-indices on multiple GC columns of varying polarity.

Main Results:

• Identification of 29 sulfur compounds with high certainty and 10 tentatively.
• Detected sulfur compounds included 17 thiols, 8 sulfides, 7 disulfides/trisulfides, and 7 heterocyclic compounds.
• Eleven of the identified compounds were previously undescribed in meat flavor literature, with a notable number of novel mercaptans.

Conclusions:

• The study significantly expands the known volatile sulfur compounds in boiled meat.
• The findings provide a detailed chemical basis for the aroma of boiled meat, particularly highlighting the role of newly identified mercaptans.