Exploring the Characteristic Aroma of Beef from Japanese Black Cattle (Japanese Wagyu) via Sensory Evaluation and Gas Chromatography-Olfactometry

Abstract

Beef from Japanese Black cattle (Japanese Wagyu) is renowned for its flavor characteristics. To clarify the key metabolites contributing to this rich and sweet aroma of beef, an omics analysis combined with GC-olfactometry (GC-O) and metabolomics analysis with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were applied. GC-O analysis identified 39 odor-active odorants from the volatile fraction of boiled beef distilled by solvent-assisted flavor evaporation. Eight odorants predicted to contribute to Wagyu beef aroma were compared between Japanese Black cattle and Holstein cattle using a stable isotope dilution assay with GC–tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry. By correlating the sensory evaluation values of retronasal aroma, γ-hexalactone, γ-decalactone, and γ-undecalactone showed a high correlation with the Wagyu beef aroma. Metabolomics data revealed a high correlation between the amounts of odorants and multiple metabolites, such as glutamine, decanoic acid, lactic acid, and phosphoric acid. These results provide useful information for assessing the aroma and quality of beef.

Exploring the Lipids Involved in the Formation of Characteristic Lactones in Japanese Black Cattle

“…As the marbled area is the edible part, we focused on that in the next comprehensive analysis of lipid composition. 1 and previous study data [11]. The score plots of the OPLS-DA model were R2 (cum) = 1.00 and Q2 (cum) = 0.997.…”

“…The aroma characteristics of the intermuscular fat were analyzed using GC-O analysis. The focus was on the 39 odorants previously detected in the marbled area using the GC-O analysis [11]. Similar to previous data, the odorants generated when the boiled intermuscular fat of Japanese Black cattle of different pedigrees (Type A and Type B) and Holstein cattle were compared.…”

“…γ-Hexalactone is the most volatile lactone (boiling point 220 °C ) and exhibits a sweet fruity and nutty aroma [31]. Previous studies have shown that γ-hexalactone correlates with the strength of Wagyu beef aroma and proposed that γ-hexalactone can be an indicator of Wagyu beef aroma [11]. The difference in lactone profiles determined using the SIDA is considered to reflect the quality of Wagyu beef aroma between the fat and muscle tissue.…”

“…Japanese Black cattle have a considerably higher marbling rate than Holstein cattle and are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) [5]. As the characteristic lipid metabolism of Japanese Black cattle has a significant influence on meat quality (tenderness, flavor, and juiciness) [6,7], there are several studies on genes which are crucial for the marbling trait [8][9][10][11]. In addition, studies have attempted to analyze the aroma of Wagyu beef [12][13][14].…”

“…This GC-O technology has been used to evaluate the aromas of foods; moreover, it is useful when evaluating the characteristics of volatile components [16]. Previous studies focused on metabolites (sugars, organic acids, and amino acids) [17] that are correlated with Wagyu beef aroma [11], but not the effects of lipid composition. Lipid composition is the most characteristic trait of Japanese Black cattle, and the effects that MUFAs may have on beef aromas represent an interesting topic in current livestock research [18,19].…”