Beef aroma

Lactones are key components in beef aroma (55). All seven lactones were concentrated in fraction FI compared to the non-extracted control. 8-Tetra-decalactone and a-hexadecalactone were present in the greatest concentration, and were present in the highest concentration of any other constituent in fraction FI. 

The flavor industry has introduced, over the years, methods of developing meat flavors by processing appropriate precursors under carefully controlled reaction conditions. As a result, meat flavors having a remarkably genuine meat character in the beef, chicken and pork tonalities are available for the food industry. It has repeatedly been stated that the Maillard reaction is particularly important for the formation of meat flavors. However, of the 600 volatile compounds isolated from natural beef aroma, only 12% of them find their origin in sugar/amino acid interactions and of these 70% are pyrazine derivatives. 

More than 600 components have been isolated [8] from natural beef aroma. We have estimated that only 94 of these volatiles find their origin in the MaiUard reaction and of these 50% are pyrazine derivatives which contribute more to a roasted aroma than to a meat aroma. ... 

The investigation of a series of model meat systems has demonstrated the important role of volatile sulfur-containing heterocyclic components substituted with sulfur in the 3-position. One of these 3-substituted sulfur compounds, 2-methy1-3-methy1thio-furan was identified recently in the volatiles from cooked beef aroma (5J and from a heated yeast extract composition (6J and is considered a meaty character impact compound. 

Thiazollnes, a reduced form of thiazoles, have also been reported to occur in foods, mainly cooked beef. 2,4,5-Trimethyl-2-thlazollne was identified in beef broth (34). 2,4-Dimethyl-3-thia-zollne found in cooked beef aroma was reported to have a nutty, roasted and vegetable aroma (35). 

Chang et al. (42). They Isolated and identified 2,4,5-triinethyl-3-oxazoline in boiled beef. This compound was described as having a "characteristic boiled beef aroma". Mussinan et al. (35) identified oxazolines and no oxazoles in their beef system. Peterson et al. (43) reported on the volatiles of canned beef stew. Both 2,4,5-trimethyloxazole and 2,4,5-trimethyl-3-oxazoline were present. The relative concentration of 2,4,5-trimethyloxazole was medium while for 2,4,5-trlmethyl-3-oxazoline was extra high. Lee et al. (44) identified 2-methyl-3-oxazoline, 2,4-dimethyl-3-oxazoline and 2,4,5-trimethyl-3-oxazoline in the volatiles of roasted peanuts. The latter two 3-oxazollnes were also identified in the volatiles of fried chicken (19). 

Kerscher, R., Grosch, W. (1997) Comparative evaluation of boiled beef aroma by aroma extract dilution and concentration analysis. Z. Lebensm. Unters. Forsch. 204. 3-6... 

Galt AM, MacLeod G. 1984. Headspace sampling of cooked beef aroma using Tenax GC. J Agric Food Chem 32 59-64. 

Various organic sulfides present in Allium have been found to have anticar-cinogenic activity. For example, allyl sulfide, a constituent of garlic oil, inhibited colon cancer in mice exposed to 1,2-dimethylhydrazine, and allyl methyl trisulfide, allyl methyl disulfide, aUyl trisulfide, and allyl sulfide all inhibited benzo[a]pyrene-induced neoplasma of the forestomach and lung in female mice (55). Lam et al. (Chapter 22) investigated the ability of 2-n-butyl thiophene, a constituent of roast beef aroma, to inhibit chemically induced carcinogenesis in three different tumor systems. This compound was found to be effective in the forestomach, lung, and colon models. 

Mabrouk et cd. ( ) used extraction, dialysis, and gel-permeation chromatography to fractionate an aqueous extract prepared from fat-free lyophilized meat. Out of the twelve resulting fractions, seven had a broiled beef aroma. Those fractions with an intense aroma contained cysteic acids (cysteine + cystine). Two fractions which contained methionine but no cysteic acid did not have any broiled beef flavor. Other reports 9-10) demonstrated that both cysteine... 

Inhibition of Chemically Induced Carcinogenesis by 2-/i-Heptylfuran and 2-7i-Butylthiophene from Roast Beef Aroma... 

Citrus limonoids are furanoid natural products found in citrus fruits. The most abundant limonoids, limonin and nomdin, have been determined to induce increased activity of GST and inhibit chemically induced carcinogenesis (6,7). These findings with furan containing natural products led to the investigation of mono and disubstituted furan and the corresponding sulfur containing thiophene compounds that are found in complex mixtures of beef aroma. 

The volatiles identified in cooked chicken were the same as those of beef, but with higher levels of volatiles derived from unsaturated lipids (2,4-decadienal, and 7-dodecalactone), and lower beef aroma compound bis-(2-methyl-3-furyl)-disulfide. Chicken meat has a higher level of linoleic acid than beef and would be expected to contribute more volatile lipid decomposition products. 

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