Effects of Apple, Oak, and Mesquite Wood Chips on the Physicochemical Properties, Volatile Organic Compounds, and Sensory Characteristics of Brined Smoked Goat Meat

This study investigated the effects of apple, oak, and mesquite wood chip types on the physicochemical properties, VOC profiles, and sensory characteristics of brined smoked goat meat. Boneless muscles were brined in 1% NaCl and randomly assigned to a non-smoked control group or three wood chip-smoked groups. All smoked groups showed significantly lower TBARS values than the control (p < 0.05), indicating improved oxidative stability, whereas pH, cooking loss, and Warner–Bratzler shear force did not differ significantly among groups, indicating that fundamental textural properties were preserved. Notably, mesquite- and oak-smoked meats exhibited significantly higher abundances of key smoke-derived phenolic compounds—including guaiacol, phenol, o-cresol (2-methylphenol), and 2-methoxy-5-methylphenol—and sulfur-containing compounds such as carbon disulfide and hexathiane, which correlated with reduced off-flavor scores and significant improvements in smoke flavor and overall acceptability compared to the control and apple-smoked groups (p < 0.05). These findings demonstrate that smoking goat meat with mesquite or oak wood chips is an effective processing strategy to mask the perception of species-specific off-flavor and enhance overall sensory acceptability.