Progress in Understanding the Mechanism of the Influence of Animal Fat on Meat Flavor

Flavor is one of the most important sensory attributes for consumers to judge the quality and acceptability of meat, and its formation is a complex biochemical reaction process. Fat is an important tissue in muscle and a precursor for the formation of flavor substances. Its hydrolysis, thermal decomposition, oxidation and Maillard reactions produce aldehydes, ketones and alcohols contributing to the characteristic flavor of meat. From the perspective of animal fat, this article summarizes the effect of fatty acid composition on flavor regulation, and the mechanism by which fat participates in flavor formation. In addition, the factors influencing the contribution of fat to flavor formation are summarized from the perspectives of cooking methods, processing methods, maturation environment and the interaction between fat and other ingredients. It is expected that this review will provide a theoretical reference for regulating the flavor quality of meat products with animal fat.