Effects and mechanisms of various distiller’s grains on volatile organic compounds in fermented pigeon meat

To understand the relationship between volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and metabolites in pigeon meat fermented with different distiller’s grains (glutinous rice, GD group; sorghum, SD group; and oat, OD group), this study analyzed the fermented pigeon meat through flavoromics and metabolomics and predicted the pathways of VOCs formation. Ethanol was the main difference among treatment groups. Meanwhile, 1-octen-3-ol, ethanol, ethyl lactate, and 2,5-octanedione were the characteristic VOCs in the CK, GD, SD, and OD groups, respectively. Non-targeted metabolomics identified 2035 metabolites, with amino acids, peptides, and analogs being the most abundant category. KEGG pathway analysis revealed 13 key metabolic pathways which were critical to flavor formation. Alanine, glucose, and galactose were metabolized to α-keto acids through the alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism and the galactose metabolism pathway, subsequently producing ethanol and ethyl lactate. In conclusion, sorghum distiller’s grains were identified as the optimal substrate for producing fermented pigeon meat. • Sorghum distiller’s grains have the best fermentation effect on pigeon meat. • Hexanal and ethanol are the main volatile organic compounds. • Arginine biosynthesis is the most important metabolic pathway. • A metabolic network of volatile organic compound formation has been established.