Influence of induction cooking on the flavor of fat cover of braised pork belly.

Fat has a great impact on texture and flavor of meat products, which is influenced by cooking methods. In this study, the profiles of fatty acids, volatile compounds, and texture of fat cover of braised pork belly were investigated after plane and concave induction cooking. The results showed that cooking time showed a great impact on fat content, textural properties, fatty acids composition, lipid oxidation, and volatile compounds of fat cover (p < 0.05). When cooking time was fixed, concave induction cooking caused lower hardness, chewiness, and saturated fatty acids but higher polyunsaturated fatty acids at 60 min than plane induction cooking. Electronic nose and GC-MS analyses showed that concave induction cooking had a greater impact on flavor of pork belly fat and produced a comparable flavor to plane induction cooked samples in a shorter time. Sensory evaluation showed that concave induction cooking had higher scores at 60 min. Thus, concave induction cooking could be a more efficient method for meat processing. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Electromagnetic induction heating is an effective cooking technique. It is characterized by uniformity, efficiency, and safety of heating. The application of electromagnetic induction heating technology to the cooking of braised pork was studied, which provides information for further optimizing the cooking technology of braised pork and improving the quality of braised pork.