JIA Qi, LI Yanlin, YUAN Haibin, WANG Sijie, DONG Ping, WU Huachang
To investigate the flavor impact of five types of dried chili peppers-devil pepper (MG), bullet head (ZD), lantern pepper (DL), two thorns pepper (EJ), and millet chili (XM)-on spicy chicken cubes, a multidimensional analysis was conducted using electronic tongue, amino acid analyzer, electronic nose, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS).Results showed significant differences in the responses of each group to sourness, saltiness, bitterness, and umami (P<0.05).The MG and XM groups had a pronounced sour taste, while the ZD group had a noticeable fresh and sour taste.The DL and EJ groups had a prominent salty, sweet, and bitter taste.A total of 17 free amino acids were detected, with the ZD group having the highest total content (149.2 mg/100 g) compared to the other four groups.Moreover, the glutamic acid taste activity value was greater than 1, indicating it was a key flavor-contributing amino acid.The electronic nose analysis revealed that the primary volatile components in the five groups of spicy chicken cubes were alcohols, alkanes, aldehydes, and sulfides, with the odor response values ranking as follows:ZD, EJ, MG, XM and DL.GC-MS and GC-IMS identified 75 and 64 volatile substances, respectively, from the five samples.Orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) identified 23 key differentiating compounds, primarily ketones, esters, and aldehydes.The characteristic flavor compounds varied among different varieties of dried chili peppers, the MG group was characterized by n-butanol and 2-hexanone, which gave a fruity and buttery aroma, the ZD group featured isobutylaldehyde and isobutyl acetate, which imparted a citrus and banana flavor, the DL group had linalool and 2,3-dimethylpyrazine, which enhanced the nutty and cocoa flavors, the EJ group included isovaleraldehyde and isobutyl acetate, which highlighted the cocoa and rum flavors, and the XM group was marked by 4-tert-butylphenol and 2-butanone, which enhanced the fruit aroma.Research has confirmed that the variety of dried chili peppers significantly affects the taste and aroma composition of spicy chicken, providing a scientific basis for the preservation and regulation of the flavor of spicy chicken.