Abstract:Thirty Simmental beef cattle with similar body weights were randomly assigned to three groups: Group I received a diet containing 100% steam-compressed flake corn, Group II received a diet containing 50% steam-compressed flake corn, and the control group received a diet without steam-compressed flake corn. The amino acid content, fatty acid profiles, and volatile flavor compounds in beef from cattle fed different proportions of steam-compressed flake maize were analyzed using an amino acid analyzer and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to elucidate the effects of steam-compressed flake maize on beef flavor. The results showed that increasing the proportion of steam-compressed flake corn in beef cattle diets significantly increased the contents of amino acids, fatty acids, and volatile compounds in beef and significantly improved beef flavor (P<0.05). The total amino acids increased from 40.06 mg/100g in the control group to 44.40 mg/100g in Group I. The monounsaturated fatty acid content in Groups I and II was 81.82% and 44.03% higher than that in the control group, respectively. Additionally, C18:2n6t (trans linoleic acid) was detected only in Group I at 1.65 mg/100g. The relative contents of various volatile flavor compounds differed among the three groups. For example, ketones had the highest relative content of 7.64% in Group I. Additionally, trans-2-undecenol, which has a greasy and sweet aroma, was detected only in Group I at 0.19%. These results indicate that beef flavor improved significantly with an increased proportion of steam-compressed flake corn in beef cattle diets.