Abstract:The dynamic changes in microbial composition of chilled yellow broiler chicken meat were predicted by assessing changes in volatile metabolic compounds. Samples were packed in trays and stored at -1 and 4 ℃, and sensory evaluation, microbial counts (total viable counts of Enterobacteriaceae spp., lactic acid bacteria, Pseudomonas spp., and Brochothrix thermosphacta), and volatile metabolic compounds were analyzed. Sixty-one compounds were identified in headspace/solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy analysis. To reflect spoilage of chilled yellow broiler chicken under two temperature conditions simultaneously, substances at very low or non-detectable amounts were removed, after which 24 compounds were obtained. The results of principal component analysis showed that 2-butanone, 2-octyl-1-dodecanol, undecane, dodecane, ethyl caproate, ethyl caprylate, anisyl butyrate, 1-nonanal, and trichloromethane were descriptive indicators of freshness, whereas acetoin, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 3-methyl-l-butyraldehyde, 2-ethylhexanol, 2-amino-6-methylbenzoic acid, 2-pentanone, dimethyl disulfide, and ethyl acetate were descriptive indicators of spoilage. Partial least squares regression analysis revealed that these 17 compounds could effectively predict the counts of different microorganisms.
