Abstract: The study aimed to investigate the dynamic changes of metabolites in beef high rib with different dry-aging periods by non-targeted metabolomics based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS). Multivariate statistical analysis and metabolic pathway analysis were performed on the metabolites. The results showed that 41 differential metabolites were identified in dry-aged beef, including 21 amino acids, 16 fatty acids, 2 nucleotides and 2 other metabolites. The types and relative contents of differential metabolites increased significantly with prolonged aging time. Five key metabolic pathways were identified, including purine metabolism; fatty acid degradation; alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism; arginine and proline metabolism; and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, which could promote the formation of flavor and nutrients in dry-aged beef.

Key words: dry aging; beef; metabolomics; differential metabolites; metabolic pathways