Abstract:In this study, Shi-Zi-Tou pork meatball was taken as the research object. The changes in the volatile flavor compounds of two kinds of pork meatball with different fat-to-lean ratios during different cooking time periods were examined, to explore the changing patterns of volatile flavor compounds of the meatballs that had been cooked for different time periods. Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to separate and identify the volatile flavor compounds in the pork meatballs. The key flavor compounds generated in the cooking process of meatballs were discussed by combining with the odor activity value (OAV). The results of the study showed that 73 and 71 volatile flavor compounds were produced during the cooking of the meatballs with two fat-to-lean ratios (6:4 and 7:3, respectively). After the analysis of OAV values, the main flavor compounds were hexanal, nonanal, 1-octene-3-ol and 2-pentylfuran for cooking times of 90 min, 120 min and 150 min. After being cooked for 120 min, the meatballs with a fat-to-lean ratio of 6:4 had hexanal, nonanal and 2-pentylfurancontents of 3.87 mg/kg, 4.41 mg/kg and 2.85 mg/kg, respectively. The meatballs with a fat-to-lean ratio of 7:3 had hexanal, nonanal and 2-pentylfuran contents of 4.44 mg/kg, 5.03 mg/kg and 2.74 mg/kg respectively. Therefore, the Shi-Zi-Tou pork meatballs with a fat-to-lean ratio of 7:3 that have been cooked for 120 min had more abundant flavor components and better flavor.
