Effects of dry-curing salt content on flavour formation in different production steps during the processing of water-boiled salted duck

This study evaluated the effects of dry-curing salt content [4% low salt (LS), 6% medium salt (MS), 8% high salt (HS)] on volatile compounds, lipid oxidation and lipolysis during the processing of water-boiled salted duck (WSD). After dry-curing, the varieties and content of volatile compounds increased significantly. The total content of volatile compounds tended to increase at dry-curing, brining and early and middle air-drying stages, and then decrease. The thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values increased during the whole process. The free fatty acids (FFAs) content increased at dry-curing, brining and early air-drying stages, and decreased after air-drying for 1 day. Compared with LS, HS and MS had higher content of characteristic flavour substances and FFAs, especially unsaturated fatty acids (UFA), and higher TBARS during the processing of WSD. It showed that 6% dry-curing salt content (MS) was applicable to practical production of WSD for flavour formation and salt reduction in dry-cured meat products.