Analysis of Aroma Compounds of Heated Fats from Wagyu Beef and Other Cattle Using Headspace SPME

Subcutaneous and intramuscular fats from Wagyu beef, crossbred cattle, dairy cattle beef and imported beef were heated and analyzed by dynamic-headspace solid-phase microextraction (SPME) combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Aliphatic aldehydes and alcohols were higher in Wagyu beef than in other beef, while alkanes and aromatic compounds were higher in crossbred beef, and esters were higher in imported beef than in other beef. For lactones, which are presumed to contribute to the aroma of Wagyu beef. gamma-C7. C8 and C9 in Wagyu beef fats and gamma-C10, C12 and delta-C10 in dairy cattle beef and imported beef were significantly higher or tended to be higher than in other beef. The composition of lactones of crossbred cattle beef was closer to that of dairy cattle beef than that of Wagyu beef. In analysis of intramuscular fats. alkanes, aromatic compounds and esters were higher in fat of Wagyu beef, whereas the proportion of alcohols and aliphatic aldehydes was higher in fat from imported beef. The composition of volatile compounds differed between the subcutaneous fat and intramuscular fat even from the same kind of beef. For lactones. the amounts of gamma-C4 and C6 in fat of Wagyu beef tended to be higher than in fat from other beef, although delta-C6, gamma-C7. C8 and C9 tended to be lower than those of other beef. Composition of lactones of crossed cattle beef was closer to that of dairy cattle beef, as in the case of subcutaneous fats. (Received Jul. 22, 2011: Accepted Nov. 30. 2011)