Comparative effects of four cooking methods on volatile flavor compounds and quality attributes of goose meat

This study evaluated the effects of four cooking methods (boiling, microwave heating, steam-assisted baking, and sous-vide) on the physicochemical quality and volatile profile of goose meat. Sous-vide (SV) cooking exhibited the lowest chewiness (19.12 mJ) and cooking loss (20.71%), along with a distinct color profile. Boiling resulted in the highest lipid oxidation (1.92 mg MDA/kg), but retained the highest level of essential amino acids (92.72 mg/g). GC-IMS analysis identified 56 volatile compounds, with aldehydes being predominant. 1-hexanal-D and ethyl heptanoate were identified as key discriminant markers for SV-cooked samples, whereas 4-methylthiazole were associated with the other cooking methods based on ROAV. Multivariate statistical analysis differentiated the flavor profiles among all treatments. These results indicate that sous-vide is a promising alternative to conventional cooking methods for producing goose meat with superior tenderness and a unique volatile profile. However, further sensory validation is recommended to confirm consumer acceptability before widespread industrial application.