Herzegovinian dry smoked goat meat is a traditional cured meat product made of the whole carcass of adult castrated bucks, dry salted and cold smoked. It has been traditionally produced in Herzegovina for centuries, especially in the wider area of the Stolac municipality. This study aimed to determine the quality parameters of Herzegovinian dry smoked goat meat. For the research, the samples were made into eight separate anatomical units (neck, sirloin, leg, loin, flank, breast, shoulder, hindshank), on which the tests were performed. Sensory, physical and chemical tests were performed on the examined samples. Also, to monitor changes in fats, its hydrolytic and oxidative changes (acid and peroxide number, TBARS value) were determined. The sensory evaluation determined that the examined samples were characterized by a "pleasant" aroma. Chemical tests revealed significant differences in the values of the examined parameters between samples from different anatomical regions. The least hydrolytic and oxidative changes were found in the breast samples which had the highest fat content. PCA analysis revealed a positive correlation between moisture content and pH value, as well as a negative correlation of these parameters with fat content. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was found between NaCl content, ash, peroxide number, and TBARS values. Fat content was characteristic in the breast samples, moisture in the shoulder samples, protein in the hindshank samples, while NaCl and ash content were characteristic in the neck samples.

The volatile flavour compounds of Herzegovinian dry smoked goat meat were investigated by using headspace-solid phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 97 volatile compounds were identified and quantified which belonged to several chemical groups: phenols (75.12%), aromatic hydrocarbons (17.47%), aldehydes (3.89%), acids (3.55%), alcohols (2.07%), ketones (1.60%), furans (0.36%), hydrocarbons (0.29%), terpenes (0.19%), esters and lactones (0.06%). The most common groups of volatile compounds in the samples of Herzegovinian dry smoked goat meat were phenols, aromatic hydrocarbons and aldehydes. Of all the identified compounds, the most common were p-cresol, creosol and 2,6-dimethoxyphenol, which were formed in the smoking process. PCA analysis showed that a positive correlation was found between the content of phenol and hydrocarbons, alcohols, ketones, esters and lactones, and terpenes, aromatic hydrocarbons and acids. Phenols as the most represented group of volatile compounds was characteristic for the leg sample (83.03%).