Explore the vast range of titles available.

Meat is among the most consumed foods worldwide and has a unique flavor and high nutrient density in the human diet. However, the genetic and biochemical bases of meat nutrition and flavor are poorly understood. Here, 3431 metabolites and 702 volatiles in 423 skeletal muscle samples are profiled from a gradient consanguinity segregating population generated by Pekin duck × Liancheng duck crosses using metabolomic approaches. The authors identified 2862 metabolome‐based genome‐wide association studies (mGWAS) signals and 48 candidate genes potentially modulating metabolite and volatile levels, 79.2% of which are regulated by cis‐regulatory elements. The level of plasmalogen is significantly associated with TMEM189 encoding plasmanylethanolamine desaturase 1. The levels of 2‐pyrrolidone and glycerophospholipids are regulated by the gene expression of AOX1 and ACBD5, which further affects the levels of volatiles, 2‐pyrrolidone and decanal, respectively. Genetic variations in GADL1 and CARNMT2 determine the levels of 49 metabolites including L‐carnosine and anserine. This study provides novel insights into the genetic and biochemical basis of skeletal muscle metabolism and constitutes a valuable resource for the precise improvement of meat nutrition and flavor. Meat is among the most consumed foods worldwide and has a unique flavor and high nutrient density in the human diet. However, the genetic and biochemical bases of meat nutrition and flavor are poorly understood. Here, 48 candidate genes potentially modulating metabolite and volatile levels are identified and provide a roadmap to improve meat nutrients and flavor.

Ruminant meat flavor is an important quality and sensory parameter which relays mainly on the organoleptic characteristics of meat. Meat flavor is vital factor for the palatability and acceptability of meat by the consumers. There are various intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence eating quality of meat. Among these factors, flavor is the major contributor. Fat and low-molecular-weight water-soluble compounds are the most important precursor components in meat, responsible for the meat flavor. The present review focus on the different pre and post-harvest factors that influences the ruminant meat flavor. Raw meat has little flavor but cooking adds value in flavor due to different temperature and cooking methods. The volatile flavoring compounds which are responsible for cooked meat flavor are produced thermally by the Maillard’s reaction itself or interaction with lipid oxidation products and vitamin degradation. In nutshell, this review provides perception into previous literature on flavor that affected by various factors particularly the fatty acids and cooking methods.

Flavor is amongst the major personal satisfaction indicators for meat products. The aroma of dry cured meat products is generated under specific conditions such as long ripening periods and mild temperatures. In these conditions, the contribution of Maillard reactions to the generation of the dry cured flavor is unknown. The main purpose of this study was to examine mild curing conditions such as temperature, pH and aw for the generation of volatile compounds responsible for the cured meat aroma in model systems simulating dry fermented sausages. The different conditions were tested in model systems resembling dry fermented sausages at different stages of production. Three conditions of model system, labeled initial (I), 1st drying (1D) and 2nd drying (2D) and containing different concentrations of amino acid and curing additives, as well as different pH and aw values, were incubated at different temperatures. Changes in the profile of the volatile compounds were investigated by solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (SPME-GS-MS) as well as the amino acid content. Seventeen volatile compounds were identified and quantified in the model systems. A significant production of branched chain volatile compounds, sulfur, furans, pyrazines and heterocyclic volatile compounds were detected in the model systems. At the drying stages, temperature was the main factor affecting volatile production, followed by amino acid concentration and aw. This research demonstrates that at the mild curing conditions used to produce dry cured meat product volatile compounds are generated via the Maillard reaction from free amino acids. Moreover, in these conditions aw plays an important role promoting formation of flavor compounds.

There are limited reports about the effect of different heat treatments on the quality and flavor of Black Tibetan sheep meat. The current study examined the effect of pan-frying, deep-frying, baking, and boiling treatment on the quality of Black Tibetan sheep meat; the amino acid, fatty acid, and volatile flavor compounds (VFCs) were investigated by a texture analyzer, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC), gas chromatography (GC), and headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility (HS-GC-IMS). The key VFCs were identified through orthogonal partial least squares discrimination analysis (OPLS-DA), and variable importance projection (VIP) values. In addition, Pearson’s correlations between meat quality parameters and key VFCs were examined. The sensory scores, including texture, color, and appearance, of baked and pan-fried meat were higher than those of deep-fried and boiled meat. The protein (40.47%) and amino acid (62.93 µmol/g) contents were the highest in pan-fried meat (p < 0.05). Additionally, it contained the highest amounts of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as oleic, linoleic, and α-linolenic acids (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, pan-fried and deep-fried meat had higher amounts of VFCs than baked meat. The OPLS-DA similarity and fingerprinting analyses revealed significant differences between the three heat treatment methods. Aldehydes were the key aroma compounds in pan-fried meat. Importantly, 3-methylbutyraldehyde and 2-heptanone contents were positively correlated with eicosenoic, oleic, isooleic, linoleic, α-Linolenic, and eicosadiene acids (p < 0.05). To sum up, pan-fried Black Tibetan sheep meat had the best edible, nutritional, and flavor quality.

Introduction Tibetan sheep, a critical economic livestock species on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, are primarily classified into three types: Plateau Tibetan sheep (PT), Valley Tibetan sheep (VT), and Euler Tibetan sheep (EL). This study was the first to compare the growth performance, meat quality, nutritional composition, transcriptome, and flavor metabolome among these three types of Tibetan sheep. Results EL exhibited superior growth performance and a higher content of unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs). PT demonstrated advantages in meat quality and flavor characteristics, while VT was distinguished by its unique meat color, specialized amino acid and fatty acid profiles. Transcriptomic analysis revealed breed-specific variations in pathways related to energy utilization, metabolism, and immune function in muscle tissues. Weighted gene co-expression network Analysis (WGCNA) identified key genes ( BECN1 , CRNKL1 , PAB5A , and EIF3A ) significantly associated with growth and meat quality traits. Flavor metabolomics showed that VT mutton contained the richest profile of flavor compounds, predominantly contributing to nutty aromas. PT and EL were characterized by higher levels of esters and aldehydes, imparting stronger fruity and floral notes. Integration analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and metabolites identified COLEC10 , MYC , BDNF , and GCGR as potential candidate genes influencing flavor through regulation of lipid and amino acid metabolism. Conclusion This study systematically characterized the growth performance, meat quality, nutritional composition, and flavor profiles of three Tibetan sheep types. Through multi-omics analysis (transcriptome and metabolome), it uncovered the regulatory mechanisms linking gene expression to meat quality and flavor-related organic compounds. Additionally, potential candidate genes that may improve meat quality and flavor were identified.

Meat flavor is an important aspect of meat quality that also influences consumer demand, and is therefore very important for the meat industry. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) contribute in large part to the flavor of meat, and while increasing numbers of articles are published on this topic, reviews of these articles are very scarce. Therefore, our aim was to perform a bibliometric analysis of the scientific publications on VOCs in meat over the period 2000–2020. We selected 611 scientific sources from the Scopus database related to VOCs in meat (seafood excluded). The bibliometric information retrieved included journals, authors, countries, institutions, keywords, and citations. From this analysis, we drew up a list of the most important journals, authors, countries, and institutions, and the trends in VOC research on meat. We conducted a social network analysis (SNA) to identify the collaborations among the many authors and countries, and a keyword analysis to generate a network map of the authors’ keywords. We also determined which meat species were most frequently chosen as research subjects, traced the evolution of the various methods/instruments used, and explored the research tendencies. Finally, we point out the need for further research in defining meat quality, improving meat flavor, identifying adulterants, and certifying the authenticity of meat.

Flavor is a pivotal indicator influencing the meat quality and palatability of premium broiler chickens, shaped by multiple factors. The flavor differences among broiler chicken breeds/lines stem from the specificity of their metabolite profiles and volatile flavor compounds. This study aims to identify key metabolites and pathways that regulate flavor variations in high-quality broilers, providing data support and theoretical references for breeding superior broiler lines and developing technologies to enhance flavor quality. Breast Muscle tissue from 15-week-old roosters of the S3 and H lines ( = 6) was used as experimental material. Broad-targeted metabolomics and volatile metabolomics technologies were employed to identify key metabolites and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) influencing the flavor of breast meat in these two high-quality broiler lines. Broad-target metabolomics identified 167 differentially expressed metabolites (VIP > 1, < 0.05) between the two strains, including 141 upregulated and 26 downregulated metabolites. These metabolites were primarily amino acids and their derivatives, and were significantly enriched in metabolic pathways such as ABC transporters ( < 0.05). Leu-Tyr, Ile-Tyr, Val-Leu, Val-Ile, and Tyr-Ala were identified as key metabolites influencing the flavor formation of breast meat from both high-quality broiler lines. Volatile metabolomics results identified 33 downregulated VOCs (VIP > 1 and < 0.05). The flavor differences between the two strains primarily involved fatty and grassy flavor. Key flavor markers included 2-Nonanone, 2-Nonanone, 3-hydroxymethyl, 2-Methylheptanoic acid, and Hexanoic acid, butyl ester as the primary flavor markers. These significantly downregulated volatiles are formed through lipid oxidation and amino acid degradation pathways, respectively, collectively shaping the more pronounced fatty and grassy aromas in the S3 strain. Correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between Met-Asn and Hexanoic acid, butyl ester, suggesting it may represent a key regulatory pathway influencing green flavor formation. In summary, this study elucidates key metabolites and pathways governing flavor differences in high-quality broiler rooster breast meat, providing a scientific foundation for poultry breeding, optimization of farming practices, and flavor regulation in meat products.

Meat flavor is an important factor that influences the palatability of chicken meat. Inosine 5′-monophosphate (IMP), inosine, and hypoxanthine are nucleic acids that serve as taste-active compounds, mainly enhancing flavor in muscle tissue. For this study, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using a mixed linear model to identify single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are significantly associated with changes in the contents of the nucleotide-related compounds of breast meat in the Korean native chicken (KNC) population. The genomic region on chicken chromosome 5 containing an SNP (rs316338889) was significantly (p < 0.05) associated with all three traits. The trait-related candidate genes located in this significant genomic region were investigated through performing a functional enrichment analysis and protein–protein interaction (PPI) database search. We found six candidate genes related to the function that possibly affected the content of nucleotide-related compounds in the muscle, namely, the TNNT3 and TNNT2 genes that regulate muscle contractions; the INS, IGF2, and DUSP8 genes associated with insulin sensitivity; and the C5NT1AL gene that is presumably related to the nucleotide metabolism process. This study is the first of its kind to find candidate genes associated with the content of all three types of nucleotide-related compounds in chicken meat using GWAS. The candidate genes identified in this study can be used for genomic selection to breed better-quality chickens in the future.

The flavor of chicken meat is influenced by muscle metabolites and regulatory genes and varies with age. In this study, the metabolomic and transcriptomic data of breast muscle at four developmental stages (days 1, 56, 98, and 120) of Beijing-You chickens (BJYs) were integrated and 310 significantly changed metabolites (SCMs) and 7,225 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. A Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis showed that SCMs and DEGs were enriched in amino acid, lipid, and inosine monophosphate (IMP) metabolism pathways. Furthermore, genes highly associated with flavor amino acids, lipids, and IMP were identified by a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), including cystathionine β-synthase (CBS), glycine amidinotransferase (GATM), glutamate decarboxylase 2 (GAD2), patatin-like phospholipasedomain containing 6 (PNPLA6), low-specificity L-threonine aldolase (ItaE), and adenylate monophosphate deaminase 1 (AMPD1) genes. A regulatory network related to the accumulation of key flavor components was constructed. In conclusion, this study provides new perspectives regarding the regulatory mechanisms of flavor metabolites in chicken meat during development.

The objective of this study was to determine the influence of supplementing the diet of growing–finishing pigs with glycerin and/or a mixture of vitamin C and niacinamide on carcass traits and pork quality. Eighty-four weaned piglets with an initial average body weight of 20.35 ± 2.14 kg were assigned, at random, to four groups for a 103-day feeding experiment: control; glycerin-supplemented group; vitamin C and niacinamide-supplemented group; and glycerin, vitamin C and niacinamide-supplemented group. At the end of the experiment, three pigs/group were randomly selected and slaughtered, and samples were collected for analysis. The results indicated that supplementing crossbred pigs with glycerin, vitamin C and niacinamide simultaneously increased the redness (a*) value (p < 0.05), glycerol content (p < 0.01) and myristoleic acid content (p < 0.01) in the longissimus dorsi and tended to increase the level of flavor amino acids, linoleic acid, linolenic acid and erucic acid, as well as the percentage and density of type I myofibers in the longissimus dorsi and the semimembranosus muscle. Glycerin had an influence (p < 0.01) on the erucic acid content in the longissimus dorsi and the semimembranosus muscle, and vitamin C and niacinamide had an interaction effect (p < 0.05) on the redness (a*) value of the longissimus dorsi. Glycerin, vitamin C and niacinamide supplementation in the diet of crossbred pigs improved the color, flavor and nutritional value of pork, which contributed to an increased intent to purchase this product.