Odor-Active Compounds of Dry-Cured Meat: Italian-Type Salami and Parma Ham

The odor-active compounds of Italian-type dry-cured meat products were investigated by gas chromatography in combination with olfactometry and mass spectrometry. A number of key odorants identified in this study have not yet been reported in Italian-type salami and Parma ham. 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline, methional, 1-octen-3-one, 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone, 4-methylphenol, and sotolone are newly reported in Parma-type ham. 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline and methional were also unequivocally identified in salami. No single aroma compound eliciting the characteristic salami or Parma ham note could be detected. Most of the odorants found stem from amino acids, lipids, and spices and are generated by fermentation, lipid oxidation or Maillard-type reactions.