Effects of Native and Modified Starches on the Structure, Flavour, and In Vitro Digestion Kinetics of Luncheon Meat

Abstract To explore the performance of native and modified starches in room-temperature luncheon meat processing, this study prepared samples using seven types of starch (each added at 5%) under consistent formulations and processing conditions. Texture, cooking loss, pH and proximate composition were measured. Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) combined with electronic nose analysis was applied to differentiate samples, and sensors with Variable Importance in Projection (VIP) values > 1 were selected as key variables. Subsequently, an in vitro digestion simulation was conducted, and the release profiles of reducing sugars and proteins were fitted using a first-order kinetic model. Finally, statistical and correlation analyses among multiple indicators were performed.The results showed that starch type significantly affected the hardness, cooking loss rate, and pH of luncheon meat, although the variation in pH among treatments was relatively small. The selected S4 and S5 sensors contributed most to sample discrimination. The first-order digestion rate constants obtained from kinetic fitting differed significantly among treatments. Spearman correlation analysis revealed significant associations among texture properties, key flavour sensor signals, and digestion kinetic parameters. Overall, different starches exhibited distinct functional roles in luncheon meat, providing theoretical support for the scientific optimisation of starch application in room-temperature meat products.