Insight into the effects of different reheating methods on the nutritional profile and volatile flavor compounds of frozen pre-cooked minced pork products fortified with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids

Frozen pre-cooked minced meat products rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (FPMP) have a broad market and require heating before consumption. This study compared nutritional quality and flavor in FPMP under different reheating methods and explored the flavor formation mechanism of reheated FPMP by constructing a correlation network. The results showed that after reheating, microwaved, and control FPMP exhibited similar flavor and quality profiles, while fried FPMP displayed the most distinctive aroma and quality properties. Compared to other treatments, microwave reheating better preserved the original flavor and quality properties of FPMP while causing the least damage to n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Correlation networks revealed that after reheating, 2-undecanone and 1-hepten-3-one in FPMP showed significant negative correlations with Lys and Tyr, respectively, while 2-nonanone exhibited significant positive correlations with C18:1n9c, C20:3n3c, and C20:5n3c. These results provide theoretical support for selecting FPMP reheating methods and understanding flavor formation. • The effects of different reheating treatments on the nutritional profile and volatile flavor compounds of frozen pre-cooked meat products enriched with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (FPMP) were investigated. • Compared to other reheating treatments, microwave reheating better preserved the original flavor and quality properties of FPMP while causing the least damage to n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. • Lipid oxidation and protein degradation can trigger the Maillard reaction and Strecker degradation, thereby altering the quality and flavor of the sample. • 2-Undecanone and 1-Hepten-3-one showed significant negative correlations with Lys and Tyr, respectively. • 2-nonanone exhibited significant positive correlations with C18:1n9c, C20:3n3c, and C20:5n3c.