Unravelling the role of lipid molecules in odor-active compound formation during beef roasting.

Lipids greatly influence beef aroma, but their role in forming odor-active compounds during roasting remains unclear. In this study, changes in aroma compounds, lipid profiles, and their correlations during roasting were investigated by integrating volatilomics and lipidomics. Aroma profiles varied across roasting stages. Twenty odor-active compounds, including 1-octen-3-one, hexanal, (E, E)-2,4-decadienal, dimethyl trisulfide, 1-octen-3-ol, trimethylpyrazine, and 2-acetyl-2-thiazoline, were critical for differentiating the aroma profile during roasting. Lipidomic profiling altered during roasting, particularly in the 0-2.5 min period. Six molecules, namely TG(16:1/18:0/20:4), TG(18:3/16:0/18:3), TG(16:1/18:1/18:2), TG(18:1/18:1/20:4), PC(P-16:0/18:1) and PC(16:0/18:1), were identified as potential key lipids. Correlation analysis revealed that triglyceride and phosphatidylcholine molecules with C16:1, C18:1, C18:2, C18:3, and C20:4 fatty acyl chains showed negative correlation with odor-active compounds such as 2-pentylfuran, γ-hexalactone, and (E, E)-2,4-decadienal. This indicates triglyceride and phosphatidylcholine molecules' involvement in beef odorant formation. The study provided a detailed elucidation of lipids' role in aroma generation in roasted beef.