Abstract:Herein, we investigated the effects of grazing from different regions on the amino acids, fatty acids, and flavor profiles of Tibetan sheep leg meat. Tibetan sheep (n=60) were randomly separated to feed on natural pastures in either saline-alkali or non-saline-alkali regions. After 150 days, the triceps brachii and biceps femoris muscles were collected and analyzed. A higher total amino acid content was observed in the foreleg meat of Tibetan sheep that grazed in saline-alkali regions (48 905.77 μmol•kg-1), whereas a lower content was detected in the hindleg meat (29 677.35 μmol•kg-1). Compared with the leg meat of Tibetan sheep from non-saline-alkali regions, higher levels of N3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and lower levels of saturated fatty acids were found in the leg meat of sheep from saline-alkali areas. Gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry analysis detected 41 volatile compounds in the leg muscles of the two groups, with most volatile compounds being found in higher levels in the leg muscles of Tibetan sheep from non-saline-alkali regions. Nine volatile compounds, including heptanal, were identified as key flavor compounds in the foreleg muscles of both groups, while 11 volatile compounds, including 3-methylbutanol, were identified as key flavor compounds in the hindleg muscles of both groups. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that heptanal, hexanal, and 1-pentanol were positively correlated with oleic acid, while 2-methylbutanal was positively correlated with isoleucine. This study demonstrates the differences in leg meat quality of Tibetan sheep from different regions, thus providing a theoretical reference for the development of animal husbandry in saline-alkali areas.