Effects of seasoning addition and cooking conditions on the formation of free and protein-bound heterocyclic amines and advanced glycation end products in braised lamb

[Display omitted] •Soy sauce significantly promoted HAs and AGEs formation, especially light soy sauce.•Hot-blanching treatment significantly reduced the formation of free HAs and AGEs.•Spices effectively inhibited HAs and AGEs formation, especially 70 % ethanol extract.•Delayed addition of soy sauce and spices can suppress HAs and AGEs formation.•Flavonoids could be the key effectors in spices inhibited HAs and AGEs formation. The accumulation of heterocyclic amines (HAs) and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in thermally processed meats has been arising safety concerns. The effects of cooking conditions and seasoning addition on the formation of HAs and AGEs in Chinese traditional braised lamb were investigated by UPLC-MS/MS analysis. Soy sauce significantly increased the formation of HAs and AGEs, among which light soy sauce had the greatest promoting effect (69.45–15300.62 %). Conversely, spices inhibited HAs and AGEs formation, the inhibition rate of free HAs and AGEs reached 22.06–34.72 % when using 70 % ethanol extract. Hot blanching treatment and adding soy sauce and spices at a later stage could significantly suppress HAs and AGEs production. Flavonoids, including galangin, hesperidin, narirutin, etc., were identified as key effectors in spices. These findings help to promote awareness of the formation of HAs and AGEs in braised lamb and provide valuable insights for optimizing processing techniques to minimize their production.