Meat Science
Volume
43, Issues 3-4
8 July 1996
Pages 301-310
PII: S0309-1740(96)00002-2
Changes in Volatile Compounds of Parma Ham During Maturation
Luciana Bolzonia,
Germana Barbieria
and Roberta Virgilia
a Stazione Sperimentale Industria Conserve Alimentari,
V. le F. Tanara 31/A Parma Italy
Received 21 August 1995; accepted 14 December 1995. Available
online 19 March 1999.
Changes in the aromatic profile of Parma ham caused by the normal course of aging up to 12 months were examined in order to identify distinctive signals for different maturing periods (6, 9, 12 months).
The 28 samples analysed, divided among the three periods mentioned above, provided an aromatic profile in which methyl esters were the most relevant signals, followed by carbonyl compounds and alcohols.
The greatest discriminating power is to be ascribed to components such as 3-methylbutanal and ethyl esters, and alcohols like 1-propanol, 1-butoxy-2-propanol and 2-butanol.
These compounds were present in higher percentages at 12
months of aging.