Abstract: Beef hydrolysate was prepared with flavorzyme and used to further prepare sauced beef essence via simulated Maillard reaction with both amino acids and reducing sugars. Sauced beef essence was formed after the reaction in solution, which was yellowish-brown and had a full meaty taste and a persistent aftertaste. The essence was analyzed by simultaneous distillation extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A total of 64 kinds of volatile compounds were identified. Benzaldehyde, benzeneacetaldehyde, γ-terpinene, 1-methoxy-4-(1-propenyl)-benzene, and 5-methyl-2-thiophenecarboxaldehyde were the compounds responsible for the characteristic flavor of sauced beef essence.

Key words: sauced beef essence, Maillard reaction, simultaneous distillation extraction (SDE), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)