Abstract: In this study, 37 commercially available plant-based meat products in China were selected and classified into three categories based on animal meat flavors: pork, beef, and chicken. Using an electronic nose, headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS), and sensory evaluation, with traditional animal meats (pork, beef, chicken) as controls, the flavor characteristics of the meat analogs were systematically analyzed, and the key differential aroma compounds between them were identified. The electronic nose analysis identified nitrogen oxides, alkanes, alcohols, ethers, aldehydes, ketones, aromatic compounds, and sulfides as the major volatile aroma components of the animal meats and the plant-based meats and effectively differentiated them based on their odor profiles. Further, GC-MS analysis revealed considerable differences in the volatile flavor components even among different products within the same category. A total of 293 volatile compounds were identified in pork and its analogs, with dodecanal, (E)-2-decenal, and (E)-2-octen-1-ol being key differential compounds between them. In beef and its analogues, 362 volatile compounds were identified, with three key differential compounds: acetaldehyde, octanal, and nonanal. Similarly, in chicken and its analogues, 362 volatile compounds were identified, with three key differential compounds: octanal, benzeneacetaldehyde, and 3-ethyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazine. Sensory evaluation indicated that the plant-based products scored higher in off-flavors such as beany flavor (2.00–5.00) and grassy flavor (2.00–7.00), but lower in meaty flavor scores (2.00–4.00), indicating that their overall flavor still failed to replicate the authentic sensory experience of animal meat. In conclusion, domestic plant-based meats lack essential aroma compounds and sensory authenticity. Developing effective strategies to bridge this flavor gap remains a critical challenge for the industry.

Key words: differential flavor compounds; plant-based meat analogs; headspace solid-phase microextraction; electronic nose; sensory evaluation