Restoration and enhancement of canned bamboo shoots flavor: Synergistic effects of reduced sterilization intensity, natural extracts, pH optimization and antioxidants.

This study developed a combined strategy to mitigate flavor loss in canned bamboo shoots caused high-temperature sterilization. The approach involved reducing sterilization intensity, adding rice dumpling leaf extract (RDLE) (derived from the leaves of Indocalamus tessellatus (Munro) Keng f.), adjusting pH to 5.0, and incorporating the antioxidant ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium (EDTA-2Na). The effects were evaluated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactometry (GC-MS-O), quantitative sensory profiling, and chemical analyses. Results showed that milder sterilization reduced off-flavors from lipid oxidation and the Maillard reaction. RDLE effectively restored grassy aroma by increasing leaf alcohol content. The combination significantly lowered the odor activity values (OAV) of key off-flavor aldehydes (octanal and nonanal) by over 69.0 % compared to the conventional 121 °C/25 min treatment, improved overall acceptability, and enhanced grassy and astringent flavors while reducing caramel, cooked, and sweet notes. This approach offers a practical and natural method for enhancing canned bamboo shoot flavor.