Flavour Profiles Need to Be Read as Interacting Systems, Not Breed Labels

A new study on longissimus thoracis muscle from Angus and Hereford cattle shows that meat aroma cannot be adequately explained through a single variable such as breed, fat content or one volatile compound. The research team combined volatile-compound analysis by HS-SPME-GC-MS with lipidomics and untargeted metabolomics. The outcome is a map of precursors and aroma-related substances that links muscle composition to possible differences in flavour.