Flavor Profile Analysis of Instant and Traditional Lanzhou Beef Bouillons Using HS-SPME-GC/MS, Electronic Nose and Electronic Tongue

The volatile profiles and taste properties of Lanzhou beef bouillons prepared with traditional (A1–A8) and modern (B1, B2) processing methods were evaluated. A total of 133 volatiles were identified: olefins, aldehydes and alcohols from spices in traditional bouillons were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those in instant bouillons. The characteristic volatile substances in traditional beef bouillons were eucalyptol, linalool, 2-decanone, β-caryophyllene and geraniol; instant bouillons lacked 2-decanone and β-caryophyllene, and the contents of the other three substances were low. PCA (principal component analysis) and CA (clustering analysis) showed that the instant bouillons have a similar volatile profile to traditional bouillons, and the results of E-nose and sensory evaluation also supported this conclusion. The E-tongue showed that the taste profiles of instant bouillons were significantly different from those of traditional bouillons, mainly due to lack of umami; however, sensory evaluation revealed that taste differences were not perceptible.