Characterisation of flavour profile of beef jerky inoculated with different autochthonous lactic acid bacteria using electronic nose and gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry.

The flavour profiles of beef jerky separately inoculated with different autochthonous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains (Lactobacillus sakei BL6, Pediococcus acidilactici BP2, and Lactobacillus fermentum BL11) and a non-inoculated control were analysed using electronic nose (E-nose) and gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS). GC-IMS results revealed a total of 42 volatile compounds in beef jerky. Inoculation of the three LAB strains decreased the levels of lipid autoxidation-derived aldehydes (e.g., hexanal, heptanal, octanal, and nonanal). In addition, inoculation of P. acidilactici BP2 increased the levels of esters. Principal component analysis of the E-nose and GC-IMS results could effectively differentiate non-inoculated beef jerky and beef jerky separately inoculated with different LAB strains. Furthermore, there was a high correlation between the E-nose and GC-IMS results, providing a theoretical basis for the identification of different beef jerky formulations and selection of autochthonous starter cultures for beef jerky fermentation.