Flavoromic profiling of dynamic changes in aroma-active compounds and physicochemical characteristics of Chinese spicy sausage during thermal processing by boiling and steaming

This study examined how different boiling and steaming durations influence the flavor and physicochemical properties of Chinese spicy sausage. Volatiles were analyzed using headspace gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-GC–MS) and headspace gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS), while sensory attributes were evaluated by electronic nose ( E -nose) and electronic tongue (E-tongue). Steaming better preserved free amino acids, including glutamic acid and alanine, and maintained texture stability. Higher intensities of sourness, sweetness, and umami were recorded in steamed samples by the E -tongue (peaking at 35 and 45 min), and E-nose clearly discriminated treatments. A total of 193 VOCs were identified, including 14 key aroma-active compounds. Prolonged boiling depleted terpenes and esters and shifted the profile toward aldehydes and alcohols, with myrcene highlighted as a candidate indicator of aroma transition in the tested product. Multivariate analyses revealed distinct volatile transition patterns between cooking methods, providing a basis for optimizing flavor quality under household cooking conditions. • Steaming better preserved taste-active amino acids and texture stability than boiling. • In total, 193 volatiles were identified, including 14 key odorants. • VIP combined with OAV or ROAV screened 9 and 5 key aroma candidates from HS-GC–MS and HS-GC-IMS. • Moderate steaming (35–45 min) aligned with peak umami and sweetness and higher volatile retention. • Myrcene was consistently highlighted as a candidate indicator of aroma transition in the tested product.