Abstract: This study was conducted in order to explore the effects of different smoking materials (apple tree sawdust, black tea, and white sugar) on the volatile flavor compounds of smoked chicken thighs. Solid phase microextraction (SPME) combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to separate and identify the volatile compounds, and the main flavor components were determined by calculating the relative odor activity values (ROAV). Results showed that a total of 92 volatile flavor components were identified from the three smoked chicken thighs. Furfural and 5-methyl-2-furancarboxaldehyde were determined as the characteristic compounds of sugar-smoked flavor; 2-methoxyphenol, 2-methoxy-4-methyl-phenol, 4-ethyl-2-methoxyphenol, 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol, furfural, and 5-methyl-2-furancarboxaldehyde as the characteristic compounds of wood-smoked flavor; 2,6-diethyl-pyrazine and 2-methoxyphenol as the characteristic compounds of tea-smoked flavor. Furans, pyrazines and phenoic compounds were typical compounds of smoked flavor.

Key words: smoked materials, volatile flavor compounds, solid-phase microextraction, relative odor activity value