Identification of key aroma-active compounds in beef tallow varieties using flash GC electronic nose and GC × GC-TOF/MS

To uncover the integral flavor characteristics and individual odor active compounds in tallow derived from different beef fats: inguinal (IF), omental (OF), and perirenal fats (PF), we used flash GC electronic nose (flash GC E-nose) to analyze and characterize the samples. GC × GC-TOF/MS identified and quantified 195 volatile compounds with significant differences amongst the three kinds of fats. There were 45 important odorants (ROAV > 0.1) containing 23 key odorants (ROAV > 1), of which 43, 34, 35 important odorants were found in IF, OF, and PF, respectively. Our results showed that the key odorants overall probably contribute to a fatty and sweat acid smell in IF, a meaty and slightly sweet taste in OF, and sweetness and slightly meaty taste in PF. Elucidating the distribution of key odorants in beef tallow from different parts of animals could provide a scientific basis for formulating and selecting raw materials of high-quality beef tallow flavor products.