# Effects of Process Parameters on the Quality of Suantang Beef
## 1 Introduction  
Guizhou Suantang (ST) is a traditional hot and sour soup in southwestern China. It has a long history and unique flavor [1]. Amongst ST products, the China Food Association has recognized Kaili Hong Suantang (HST), a conventional fermented hot and sour soup made from anaerobically fermented tomatoes and chili peppers, is a Guizhou specialty [2]. HST was named one of the top three Chinese hot pot seasonings, along with Chongqing Spicy Hot Pot Seasoning and Inner Mongolia Clear Soup Instant Lamb Hot Pot Seasoning [3]. HST is made through the microbial fermentation of nutrient-rich ingredients, such as tomatoes and peppers [2]. After fermentation, HST becomes rich in beneficial bacteria, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and organic acids. It has crucial bioactive components, such as lycopene and capsaicin [4]. Lycopene is a polyunsaturated fat-soluble carotenoid with antioxidant properties, which can effectively reduce the incidence of prostate cancer, digestive tract cancer, and cardiovascular disease [5]. [PERSON] [6] also found that cooking meat in HST improved its nutritional quality, volatile flavor substances, color, and textural properties, which shows that ST has good advantageous properties.  
Beef is a global product and the third largest meat product in the world, accounting for about 25% of the meat market [7]. It is a kind of healthy meat with high protein and high digestibility, providing essential amino acids for human health [8]. In recent years, there have been more and more studies on the effect of processing technology on the quality of beef products. For example, adding starter to beef jerky to improve beef jerky's nutrition, texture, flavor, and safety [9]. Different barbecue temperatures changed the brown variable of steak and the volatile aroma compounds [10]. The quality of pickled beef was improved,and the time of pickled beef was prolonged through high-pressure treatment combined with reducing sodium chloride content [11]. ST beef is a southwest characteristic food made by Guizhou HST and beef. When cooked in ST, beef has a unique taste and delicious taste. However, due to the unclear impact of ST on beef quality, the lack of unified formula and technical standards, and the sales model of only small family workshops. That hinders the development of the ST beef.  
The flavor is an essential part of edible meat quality. Many studies have been done on it to understand the chemical composition of meat flavor and determine the factors that affect meat flavor quality in meat production and processing [12]. In recent years, headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) has been widely used to analyze volatile components in various foods, because of its small injection volume, convenient operation, high sensitivity, high reproducibility, being solvent-free, etc., [13]. That includes the determination of volatile compounds in beef [14; 15], pork [16], and mutton [17] and their products. More than 1000 volatile compounds have been identified in beef, pork, mutton, and chicken. There are much more reports on beef than pork, mutton, or poultry [12]. However, due to the lack of research on ST beef, the effect of ST on volatile compounds in beef is unclear.  
In this study, beef's physicochemical quality and flavor were studied by optimizing the cooking process of ST beef to clarify the technological conditions of ST beef and to understand the effects of ST on beef quality and its volatile compounds. In the future, it will provide a basis for solving the problems of modern production and industrial upgrading of traditional dishes, expanding the ST beef market, and bringing good social and economic benefits.