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The influence of processing techniques and formulations on chemical and sensory aroma properties has been studied with the purpose of finding ways to improve the flavor of canned meat. HTST‐sterilization, “aseptic” canning and sterilization in various packaging materials including flexible pouches have been investigated. It was found that “aseptic” canning and, especially, HTST‐sterilization had a pronounced positive effect on aroma, in the latter case for samples packed in thin layers (flexible pouches). It was shown that addition of e.g., fumarate or maleate in small amounts (0.06–0.15%) before sterilization decreased the concentrations of hydrogen sulfide and mercaptans, and the additions of certain amino acids, e.g., arginine, decreased the concentrations of the aldehydes. Both types of ingredients resulted in an improved aroma. Storage changes have also been investigated. It was found that there was a tendency towards a more accelerated change in flexible pouches compared with rigid cans.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine general relations between instrumental and sensory aroma data from a reference material consisting of a large set of different types of beef samples analyzed during several years. The relations obtained in this way have been tested on independent “unknown” samples. Different models have been used, basically derived from Stevens' law and formulated in analogy with models used in other psychophysical contexts. From the reference material a great number of highly significant relations‐several with a correlation coefficient greater than 0.90–were obtained for the various odor notes used. Several of these seem to be examples of causative relations. When predicting sensory properties of unknown samples almost all the relations obtained with high correlation coefficient worked very well. These properties could be predicted by the gas chromatographic technique with the same accuracy as when the panel assessed the samples. Therefore, by applying the models in a proper way, the panel service in routine analyses may be supplemented or refined by using a gas chromatographic technique. These methods may, of course, also be used in product and process development work.

Stevens' and Fechner's relations have been applied in a generalized form: they have been expressed as functions in several variables. These functions have been formulated in analogy with models used in other psychophysical contexts and are considered to handle simple interactions between chemical stimuli compounds. It is suggested that the different outcomes can be classified into three categories: ad hoc relations, predictive relations and causative relations. The meaning and interpretability of these are discussed. The models have been tested on data from samples of canned beef: different formulations and heating times. A large number of high correlations were obtained for the different odor qualities and the presence of possible causative relations among these are discussed.