Volatile compounds of Wagyu (Japanese black cattle) beef analysed by PTR-MS

Volatile compounds of highly marbled and cooked Wagyu (Japanese Black cattle) meat were analysed during mastication using proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) by collecting breath from the oral and nasal cavities. Twelve compounds were monitored. Ethyl acetate showed the highest ion counts in the oral cavity, followed by acetic acid, butanol, pentanol, and diacetyl. The counts of all lactones were very low. Ethyl acetate, butanol, and hexanol were also detected in the nasal cavity. Principal component analysis revealed that the release degree related to logP values and did not depend on the amount of aroma in the solvent extraction.