Abstract:Distributed in the eastern Qinghai-Tibet plateau where the environmental condition is unique, Oula lamb is of distinction owing to the quality of its meat. Aiming to establish the fingerprint of volatile flavor for Oula lamb meat. The lamb meat was obtained from four kinds of lamb: Oula lamb, Hu lamb, Dorper lamb and Tan lamb. Extraction and analysis of the volatile compounds were carried out by headspace solidphase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry respectively. At the same time, gas chromatography-olfactometry was used to assess the fragrant compounds. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis were applied to determine the chemical variability among four kinds of lamb meat. The results showed that 53 volatile components of Oula lamb meat were identified and quantified, including aldehydes, heterocycles, hydrocarbons, alcohols and ketones, among which 77% possessed perceptible aromas. Totally 20 kinds of aldehydes with their content accounting for 62% contributed the most to flavor. Grouping of samples highlighted a good classification of the results, providing a significant separation between Oula lamb meat and other three kinds of lamb meat. Characteristic flavor compounds of Oula lamb meat mainly included (E)-2-hexenal, (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal, (E,E)-2,4-octadienal, 3-octen-2-one and other unsaturated aldehydes and ketones, together with some hydrocarbons, such as p-cymene, and other flavor compounds such as benzothiazole, providing fruits, nuts and grass odors. The findings provided the volatile fingerprint of Oula lamb meat, which can promote the development of related products of Oula lamb.