Contribution to meat flavor

Raw meat has little desirable flavor, but each type of meat has a characteristic flavor due to the animal species and the temperature and type of cooking. Both water-soluble and lipid-soluble fractions contribute to meat flavor and the water-soluble components include precursors which upon heating are converted to volatile compounds described as "meaty."... 

Another class of lipid components formed by heating which contribute to meat flavor is the lactones, which are formed by the lac-tonization of y- and 6-hydroxy fatty acids. 6-Long chain (6-tetra-decalactone) lactones predominate. Lactones can also be formed by conversion of low molecular weight saturated fatty acids, aldehydes and alcohols during heating of meat fat (13). Larick et al. (14) found Cla-Ci, 6-lactones associated with more desirable flavor of beef... 

Sugars and carbonyl compounds interact with amino acids or proteins in a sequence of complex reactions known as the Maillard reaction or as non-enzymatic browning. The browning products from this reaction have a marked influence on lipid oxidation. They generally retard lipid oxidation in foods, and contribute to meat flavors. Lipid oxidation products can also react with proteins and amino acids, leading to the loss of essential amino acids with impact on the oxidative stability and the nutritional quality of foods. 

Grosch, W, et al.. Studies on the formation of odorants contributing to meat flavors, in Progress Flavour Precursor Studies, P. Schreier, P. Winterhalter, Eds., Allured Publ., Carol Stream, 1993, p. 329. 

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