Optimization of Jinhua Ham Classification Method Based on Volatile Flavor Substances and Determination of Key Odor Biomarkers

Abstract

Jinhua ham is a traditional cured meat food in China. For a long time, its grade has mainly been evaluated by the human nose through the three-sticks method, which is highly subjective and is not conducive to establishing evaluation standards through odor markers. In this paper, we analyzed the well-graded Grade I–III hams provided by Jinzi Ham Co., Ltd. (Jinhua, China). Firstly, we used different extraction fibers, extraction temperatures, and extraction time to determine the optimal conditions for headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME). Then, the aroma components of Jinhua ham were analyzed by headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), and OAV was calculated to screen the key aroma volatiles of three kinds of Jinhua ham. It was found that a total of 56 components were detected in the three types of ham. Among them, there are 21 kinds of key aroma volatiles. Aldehydes, alcohols, and acids are the three main components of Jinhua ham, and the content of aldehydes gradually decreases from Grade I to Grade III ham. The content of acids gradually increased, and we speculated that the increase in acid content was caused by the proliferation of microorganisms in Grade III ham. The key flavor volatiles in Grade I hams was hexanal and 2-methylbutanal. Grade I hams had a strong meat aroma, pleasant fatty, and roasted aroma without any off-flavors. In Grade II ham, the characteristic volatiles (E,E)-2,4-decadienal and ethyl isovalerate were detected. These two volatiles contribute greatly to the flavor of Grade II ham, which makes the flavor of Grade II ham have a special fruity aroma. They also may be prone to sourness and affect the flavor of the ham. Volatiles with low threshold values, such as pyrazines, furans, and sulfur-containing compounds, were relatively high in Grade III hams. This may also contribute to the poorer flavor quality of Grade III hams. This experiment provided a reliable test method and evaluation basis for the rating of Jinhua ham. These results have positive implications for the establishment of odor markers-based grading criteria.

Influence of germination and roasting on the characteristic volatile organic compounds of quinoa using sensory evaluation, E-nose, HS-GC-IMS, and HS-SPME-GC-MS

“… d Odor threshold taken from ( Duppeti, Kempaiah, & Manjabhatta, 2022 ). e Odor threshold taken from ( Xu, Shui, Chen, Ma, & Feng, 2022 ). f Odor threshold taken from ( Huang et al, 2022 ).…”

Characterization of Flavor Profile of “Nanx Wudl” Sour Meat Fermented from Goose and Pork Using Gas Chromatography–Ion Mobility Spectrometry (GC–IMS) Combined with Electronic Nose and Tongue

“…Choi et al found, by studying plant substrates during drying, that hexanal and 2-methyl-2-pentenal are produced from the action of residual enzymes so that, especially at low drying temperatures, their concentration is proportional to the residual humidity of the sample [45]. From these studies, it could be inferred that the different contents of hexanal and 2-methyl-2-pentenal in sour meat fermented from goose meat versus pork could be linked to different activity of residual enzymes, in turn leading to variable extents of lipid oxidation in the final product [46].…”

Effect of Different Heat Treatments on the Quality and Flavor Compounds of Black Tibetan Sheep Meat by HS-GC-IMS Coupled with Multivariate Analysis

“…Elmore et al [55] reported that PUFAs content in meat positively correlates with aldehyde content. Hexanal and pentanal are the products of oxidative degradation of linoleic acid, which provide fresh grass flavor and roasted nut aroma, respectively [56]. Linoleic acid can also be oxidized to form (E) -2-heptanal and (E) -2-octenal, which have fresh cucumber and fruit flavors.…”

“…It showed that the Maillard reaction intensity was higher in deep-fried meat than in pan-fried and baked meat, which is consistent with the chromaticity results. Furan compounds are formed from a variety of sources, such as from the oxidation of α-linolenic acid, γ-linolenic acid [56], and linoleic acid [71]. Sulfur compounds are formed by the degradation of thiamine [54] and have an onion/garlic odor.…”