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Fermentation of meat products refers to a series of physical, biological or chemical changes in raw meat that occurs under the actions of enzymes or via microbial fermentation and results in the formation of meat products with special flavours, colours and textures that have a long history in China. These products have a unique fermented flavour, bright colour and longer shelf life than ordinary meat products, and some have proteins that are more easily absorbed by the body due to the fermentation of beneficial bacteria. Flavour development in meat products is a dynamic process. During the processing and storage of fermented meat products, the breakdown of proteins and fats is accelerated due to the addition of different fermenting agents. Moreover, the physicochemical reactions that occur within the meat products and the actions of microorganisms during the fermentation process result in the production of flavour compounds, which will determine the final flavour characteristics of the fermented meat product. This paper reviews the flavour characteristics of Chinese dry-cured hams, sausages, bacon, cured fish and sour meat and analyses the flavour substance composition of various products. Due to the differences in the raw materials, processes, auxiliary materials and fermentation processes of various types of fermented meat products in China (ham, sausage, bacon, etc.), the flavour substances contained in the various types of fermented meat products in China are different from each other. However, most fermented meat products in China are cured and fermented, and therefore, they share similarities in terms of their flavour substance composition. The flavour substances in fermented meat products mainly include alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, acids, phenols and aromatic hydrocarbons. The study of such flavour characteristics is of great significance in fermented meat product quality, and provides certain theoretical references for the study of domestic fermented meat products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sufu, a traditional fermented soybean product, is a popular side dish in China and other Asian nations. This paper presents an overview of the relationships between the biogenic amines (BAs) of sufu and its processing and storage conditions. Putrescine and cadaverine were found in almost all sufu products. Thus, a BAs-derived formula is proposed to evaluate sufu quality. The use of selected microorganisms as starters reduces the formation of BAs. While, addition of NaCl and alcohol positively delays the formation of BAs by reducing strain and decarboxylase activities. Similarly, lowering the storage temperature and shortening the storage time are practical measures to control activity of bacteria and of decarboxylases. Industrial sufu products require a long storage time, and thus use of additives, particularly natural ones, represents a viable alternative for the control of BAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Asian carp is a general designation for grass carp, silver carp, bighead carp, and black carp. These fish species belong to the family Cyprinidae. In 2018, more than 18.5 million tons of Asian carp were produced globally. Asian carp can be used for producing surimi, a stabilized myofibrillar protein concentrate that can be made into a wide variety of products such as imitation crab sticks, fish balls, fish cakes, fish tofu, and fish sausage. Surimi is usually made from marine fish, but Asian carp have been widely used for surimi production in China. The quality of surimi is affected by various factors, including the processing methods and food additives, such as polysaccharides, protein, salt, and cryoprotectant. With an impending shortage of marine fish due to overfishing and depletion of fish stocks, Asian carp have a potential to serve as an alternative raw material for surimi products thanks to their high abundancy, less emissions of greenhouse gases from farming, desirable flesh color, and sufficient gel forming ability. The utilization of Asian carp in surimi production could also contribute to relieving the overflow of Asian carp in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clonorchis sinensis is a biliary tract parasite, which infects over 30 million people in China, Korea and Southeast Asia through the ingestion of undercooked freshwater fish that harbour the infective metacercariae. The genes expressed in C. sinensis adults were identified in order to develop novel drugs, better diagnostics and vaccines for the parasite. The C. sinensis cDNA library was constructed and DNA sequencing was performed with 450 randomly selected clones. Four hundred and fifteen clones contained the amino-acid-encoding sequences. The functions of these genes could be assigned by DNA sequence homology. Basic Local Alignment Search Tool X analysis showed that 277 of the 415 clones were strongly matched ( P<10 -9) to previously identified proteins, while the remaining 138 fell into the "no database match" category. Among the clones matching previously identified proteins, 220 putatively identified genes were sorted into seven functional categories. These included the genes associated with energy metabolism (38), gene expression/RNA metabolism (21), regulatory/signalling components (14), protein metabolism/sorting (98), the structure/cytoskeleton (29), membrane transporters (ten) and antigenic proteins (ten). The remaining 57 clones were not included in these categories. The dataset included the genes encoding the proteases, a lipid binding protein, the antigen proteins and the other genes of interest from a diagnostics, drug or vaccine development viewpoint. The present expressed sequence tag analysis proved to be an effective tool for examining gene expression and identified several important genes which increase and complement our knowledge of the biology of C. sinensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutton is widely consumed in China, European Mediterranean countries, and other regions around the world and is expected to gain popularity as an alternative to pork in dry‐cured hams. Changes in the physicochemical indices, volatile compounds, and endogenous enzyme activities during the processing of dry‐cured mutton ham were investigated. Eighty‐six volatile compounds were identified during the dry‐curing process, with aldehydes being dominant. Oxidation values increased significantly during dry‐curing and decreased during ripening (p < .05). The activities of lipolytic enzymes remained active throughout processing, although the activities of the enzymes decreased. Lipoxidase activity increased rapidly during the fermenting stage and then decreased gradually during ripening (p < .05). Superoxide dismutase activity increased throughout processing, whereas the catalase activity decreased. According to partial least square variable importance in projection analysis, 49 odor‐related compounds were selected from dry‐cured mutton ham as specific compounds which are related to lipid oxidation and endogenous enzyme activities. Heatmap shows that the volatile compounds were correlated with enzyme activity and the oxidation value of dry‐cured mutton ham during processing. Practical applications: Xinjiang dry‐cured mutton ham has an intense and a long‐lasting aroma. Understanding the mechanism of aroma formation related to lipid oxidation could help us to improve the product quality and optimize the duration of processing. Therefore, the present work identified the characteristic flavor compounds and provided the changing regularity of these compounds at various stages to facilitate the generation of them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]