Study on the Impact of Pea Protein on the Printability and Storage Quality of the 3D Printing Pork Jerky

Food 3D printing technology for meat products has garnered significant attention. However, natural meat often requires the modification of its relevant properties to meet the processing demands of 3D printing. This study utilized minced pork as the primary raw material and employed pea protein to enhance both the 3D printability and storage quality characteristics of the pork paste. The results indicated that the optimal printing performance was achieved with a pea protein addition level of 20% (pork-to-pea protein mass ratios of 5:1). Specifically, pea protein significantly improved the material properties critical for 3D printing, enhancing the gel strength rising from 93.31 to 241.52 g and stability of the printing material. The 3D-printed pork products were stored at 25, 35, and 45 °C for 44 days, with increasing storage temperature, the moisture content, water activity, pH, and freshness of the 3D-printed meat products significantly decreased (<i>p</i> < 0.05), after 30 days of storage at 45 °C, the acid value reached 4.13 mg/g. During storage, a total of 233 volatile flavor compounds were identified, which comprised 17 esters, 26 alcohols, 58 terpenes, 69 alkanes, 20 aldehydes, 29 heterocyclic compounds, and 14 other compounds (including acids, ketones, and ethers), among 19 key flavor compounds, nonanal, phenethylaldehyde, D-limonene, zingiberene, and α-curcumene contributed significantly to the flavor profile of the pork jerky. Elevated storage temperatures and time leading to a notable deterioration in the storage quality of the 3D-printed pork products. The shelf life of 3D-printed pork products, when stored without preservatives, is limited to 44 days at a recommended maximum temperature of 35 °C.