Abstract: The contents of free amino acids (FAA) and volatile flavor compounds of lamb spine for different sterilization temperatures (raw meat, unsterilized, 90 ℃, 105 ℃, 121 ℃) were detected and analyzed by amino acid analyzer, dynamic headspace sampling combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (DHS-GC-MS) and electronic nose (E-nose). The results showed that 17, 16, 16, 16, and 16 free amino acids were detected in 5 groups of samples. Except for raw meat, the contents of TFAA and EAA were highest in samples sterilized at 105 ℃, and aspartic acid and glutamic acid with significantly higher content (P <0.05) than other sterilization temperature samples, which had important contributions to the overall taste of lamb spine. A total of 30, 40, 46, 45, and 47 volatile flavor compounds were detected, among which the highest content was found in unsterilized finished products, which were all reduced after sterilization. The total amount of volatile flavor contents in 105 ℃ sterilized samples was significantly higher (P<0.05) than 90 ℃ and 121 ℃ sterilized samples, which also had relatively high contents of various compounds and compounds with an OAV greater than 1. The samples with different sterilization temperature can be clearly distinguished by the electronic nose system. Combined with the results of sensory evaluation, the flavor of the 105 ℃ sterilized sample is the best and the score was the closest to that of unsterilized samples, which provides support for the industrial production of the lamb spine.

Key words: lamb spine, sterilization temperatures, free amino acids, volatile flavor compounds, electric nose