Effects of chicken fat oxidation levels on flavor compounds and sensory properties of Maillard reaction products in chicken bone broth: HS ‐ SPME ‐ GC – MS and molecular simulation approach

Abstract BACKGROUND Moderate oxidation of chicken fat plays a vital role in enhancing meat aroma, yet the specific contributions of oxidation products to olfactory perception remain unclear. The present study investigated the effects of varying chicken fat oxidation levels on the volatile compounds and sensory properties of Maillard reaction products (MRPs) derived from chicken bone hydrolysate. RESULTS Headspace‐solid phase microextraction gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS‐SPME‐GC–MS) identified 132 volatile compounds in MRPs. Thirteen key aroma‐active compounds exhibited odor activity values (OAVs) ≥ 1, notably ( E , E )‐2,4‐decadienal, ( E , E )‐2,4‐nonadienal and 2‐ n ‐heptylfuran, which contributed MRPs fatty, green and roasted notes. Molecular docking revealed that these volatiles formed stable interactions with specific human olfactory receptors, particularly OR1D2, with binding energies ranging from −6.2 to −3.8 kcal mol −1 . Among them, ( E , E )‐2,4‐decadienal exhibited the highest binding affinity (−6.2 kcal mol −1 ). Molecular dynamics simulations (100 ns) were further performed to assess the dynamic stability and key interactions of these receptor‐ligand interactions. The results indicated that the complexes reached equilibrium after approximately 10–20 ns. Specifically, ( E , E )‐2,4‐decadienal exhibited the most stable binding conformation, characterized by a root mean square deviation of approximately 0.50 nm and persistent hydrogen bonding with Tyr‐182. CONCLUSION Moderate lipid oxidation (specifically the O3 treatment, oxidized for 1.5 h) significantly enhanced chicken flavor by generating key aroma‐active compounds that tightly and stably bind to human olfactory receptors. These findings provided theoretical insights into the potential molecular interaction mechanisms of meat aroma perception and suggested that controlled lipid oxidation is a feasible strategy for flavor enhancement. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.