Abstract
Using DHS, SAFE, GC–O and GC–MS, the odour‐active compounds of Jinhua ham were identified and ranked according their odour potencies. For DHS, the ham powder was purged with a nitrogen stream at a flow rate of 50 ml/min for 25 min, 5 min and 1 min, respectively. The effluent of sample headspace was trapped by a Tenax tube, which was placed onto the vessel for GC–O. The most important odorants (FD factor = 125) in Jinhua ham headspace were ethyl 2‐methylbutanoate/ethyl 3‐methylbutanoate, hexanal, 1‐hexen‐3‐one, 1‐octen‐3‐one, 2‐acetyl‐1‐pyrroline and 2‐methoxyphenol, followed by the following odorants (FD factor = 25): 3‐methyl butanal, dimethyl trisulphide, 1‐nonen‐3‐one, butanoic acid, phenylacetaldehyde, 3‐methylbutanoic acid, 2‐methyl(3‐methyldithio)furan, γ‐nonalctone and 4‐methylphenol (p‐cresol). For SAFE, the ham powder was extracted with diethyl ether, distilled by SAFE and then separated into neutral/basic and acidic fractions. Both fractions were subjected to AEDA. The relatively high‐odour impact compounds (Log~3~FD Factor ≤5) of the N/B fraction of SAFE extract of Jinhua ham were 1‐octen‐one, ethyl 3‐methylbutanoate, methional, phenylacetaldehyde, 2‐phenylethanol, (E)‐4,5‐epoxy‐(E)‐decenal, p‐cresol (4‐methylphenol); 3‐methylbutanal, hexanal, 2‐acetyl‐1‐pyrroline, decanal, (E,Z)‐2,6‐nonadienal and (E,E)‐decadienal. The important odorants of the Ac fraction of SAFE extract of Jinhua ham were butanoic acid, 3‐methylbutanoic acid, hexanoic acid, phenylacetic acid and an unknown. It was shown that the aroma of Jinhua ham consisted of a variety of compounds having different odour properties; a single compound could not characterize the aroma of Jinhua ham. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.