Effect of ultrasonic pretreatment with synergistic microbial fermentation on tenderness and flavor of air-dried duck under low nitrite process

Weitao Zhao; Xiankang Fan; Zihang Shi; Yangying Sun; Zhen Wu; Ming Huang; Daodong Pan

doi:10.1016/j.fochx.2024.101946

Effect of ultrasonic pretreatment with synergistic microbial fermentation on tenderness and flavor of air-dried duck under low nitrite process

Food Chem X. 2024 Nov 2:24:101946. doi: 10.1016/j.fochx.2024.101946. eCollection 2024 Dec 30.

Authors

Weitao Zhao¹, Xiankang Fan², Zihang Shi¹, Yangying Sun¹, Zhen Wu¹, Ming Huang³, Daodong Pan¹

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China.
² College of Food Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410114, China.
³ School of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095 Nanjing, China.

Abstract

The tenderness and flavor of meat products are critical factors influencing consumers' purchasing decisions. This study investigated the effects of ultrasonic pretreatment with synergistic microbial strain fermentation on tenderness and flavor of air-dried duck under low nitrite process. The results demonstrated that ultrasonic pretreatment combined with microbial strain fermentation improved water retention and tenderness of duck meat by disrupting the muscle microstructure, increasing muscle fiber spacing, and facilitating water migration and distribution. This primarily concerns the cavitation and mechanical effects of ultrasound and the role of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts in muscle protein hydrolysis. A total of 34 and 55 volatile flavor compounds were detected by HS-SPME-GC-MS and GC-IMS, respectively. The results indicated that acetaldehyde (stimulating, fruity, green apple), ethyl acetate (sweet, fruity, pineapple), and 3-hydroxy-2-butanone (sweet, creamy) were responsible for the improved flavor during this process, which was primarily related to the increased activity of neutral lipase (0.38 U/g protein), acidic lipase (0.48 U/g protein), and phospholipase (0.09 U/g protein). This study provides valuable insights into the synergistic effects of ultrasonic pretreatment and microbial co-fermentation, offering a theoretical basis for optimizing air-dried duck production and enhancing flavor quality.

Keywords: Air-dried duck; Flavor; Lactic acid bacteria; Tenderness; Ultrasonic pretreatment.