The Effect of Different Reaction Conditions on the Aroma Characteristics of the Maillard Reaction of Mutton Enzymatic Hydrolysate

Abstract

This study utilized mutton enzymatic hydrolysate and glucose-L-cysteine as raw materials to analyze the impacts of different reaction conditions on the volatile flavor compounds of Maillard reaction products. The absorbance of the Maillard reaction was measured, and at the same time, sensory evaluation of the sample was carried out. Gas Chromatography-ion Mobility Spectroscopy (GC-IMS) technology was employed, in combination with principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA), to measure and analyze the characteristic flavor compounds in Maillard reaction products under different reaction times, temperatures, and pH values. The results indicated that a total of 50 characteristic flavors were detected in the Maillard reaction products under different pH conditions, including 18 aldehydes, 10 ketones, 2 alcohols, and other compounds. Under these circumstances, there were more aldehydes, ketones, esters, and alcohols with characteristic flavors. Moreover, sulfur-containing compounds made a significant contribution to the aroma of lamb. For instance, 2-methyl-3-furanethiol had the characteristic flavor of lamb thermal reaction, and it was found that aldehydes and heterocyclic compounds were its main contributing substances. The research results can provide some references for the development of high-quality meat flavoring substrates in the industry.

Keywords: Mutton, Enzymolysis, Maillard reaction, Gas chromatography ion mobility spectroscopy (GC-IMS), Reaction conditions