GC–MS Analysis of Time-Dependent Flavor Development in Marinade Systems

Marinating is a traditional cooking medium primarily used in preparing braised dishes, with the completed dish’s flavor profile determined largely by the characteristics and processing properties of the spices involved. A research team made up of members of Jiangxi Normal University (Nanchang, China), China Agricultural University (Beijing, China), and Hunan Xiweijia Biotechnology (Yueyang, China) investigated the effects of cooking time on the quality and flavor of a marinade prepared with a specific spice formulation. Headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) was used for analyzing changes and volatilization characteristics of flavor compounds at different cooking times to determine the process by which cooking time affects the flavor characteristics and quality of the marinade. A paper based on their research was published in Current Research in Food Science (1).

Considered to be one of the fundamentals of Chinese culinary flavor, marination is crafted by simmering a combination of aromatic spices, seasonings, and water (or stock), producing a complex flavor system balancing rich aroma with profound taste depth (2-5). The process develops distinctive flavor for the food prepared through two primary sources: flavor compounds released by the spices during the cooking process, and thermally induced reactions occurring during cooking (6,7). While studies have revealed that the primary volatile compounds in marinating are mainly generated through spice use (8,9), the heating and cooking process, where amino acids and sugars undergo Maillard reactions, lead to the generation of new flavor compounds, thereby altering the flavor characteristics of the marinated food. Insufficient cooking time may cause inadequate aroma release, and a bland flavor may result; excessive cooking time may extract bitter compounds which can result in flavors that were not intended (10). According to the research team, previous analysis has mostly focused on characterization of the final prepared product, with the study of the temporal development of flavor compounds during the marination process, as well as the correlation with bioactive components, being relatively limited in comparison (1).

Five fresh silver carp were acquired to act as meat samples for the marination process. The fish bones were sliced into small fragments, and 20 g of peanut oil was added. The bones were then fried until brown on both sides, and green onion, ginger and boiling water were added. The mixture was cooked under high pressure for 40 min before the fish soup was filtered, poured into a pressure cooker, and boiled after adding soy sauce (45 g), yellow wine (60 g), sugar color (20 g), salt (10 g) and a mixture of 21 spices (1). Cooking time was set to 20, 40, 60, and 80 min, respectively, with the volume of the marinade remained unchanged after cooking. Marinade samples were collected at each interval (1).

Among the 246 volatile compounds identified through GC-MS, 29 key compounds were significantly associated with flavor substances. The content of most flavor compounds showed a decreasing trend, and flavor dissipation was particularly severe during the 60-80 min cooking period. The dominant aroma characteristics of the marinade during the 40-60 min cooking period were balsamic and spicy aroma. Correlation analysis of 29 key flavor compounds with sensory attributes, free amino acids, and fatty acids showed that most compounds significantly influenced aftertaste and woody notes (P < 0.05) and exhibited a significant positive correlation with most amino acids and fatty acids (|r| > 0.7, P < 0.05). In addition, the marinade maintained favorable antioxidant activity throughout the preparation process (1).

The findings provide a theoretical basis for understanding the impact of stewing time on the flavor formation mechanism in marinade, the researchers said.Under the specific spice formulation used in this study, a stewing time of 40 min was identified as a potential optimum for achieving flavor balance. However, they pointed out that different spice combinations may exhibit distinct dissolution kinetics and interactions of flavor compounds due to variations in their chemical composition, potentially leading to different optimal stewing times. The potential mechanism revealed by this study is that stewing time modulates overall flavor by influencing the dynamic changes of key flavor precursors such as free amino acids and fatty acids, which provides an analytical framework and methodological reference for optimizing stewing processes in a broader context (1).

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References

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