Influence of compositional characteristics and high pressure processing on the volatile fraction of Iberian dry-cured ham after prolonged refrigerated storage

The effect of high pressure processing (HPP) at 600 MPa and refrigerated storage for 5 months on the volatile fraction of 30 Iberian dry-cured hams of different compositional characteristics was investigated. Compositional characteristics significantly influenced 11 compounds (3 alcohols, 3 carboxylic acids, 2 alkanes, 2 benzene compounds and 1 aldehyde) out of the 116 compounds identified in the volatile fraction of Iberian ham. HPP treatment had a significant effect on 34 volatile compounds, with higher levels of 11 compounds and lower levels of 23 compounds in HPP-treated samples than in control samples. Refrigerated storage for 5 months significantly influenced the levels of 75 compounds, 25 of which appeared or increased while 50 disappeared or decreased. During that period, the total abundance of volatile compounds decreased by 5.1% in control ham and 1.3% in HPP-treated ham. Iberian ham commercial shelf life should be limited to maintain its sensory characteristics. Industrial relevance HPP treatment and refrigerated storage of dry-cured ham are advantageous industrial and commercial procedures. In the particular case of Iberian ham, both HPP and refrigerated storage brought about a decrease in the total levels of volatile compounds. Therefore, adequate HPP treatment conditions and commercial shelf life should be cautiously set in order to safeguard the unique odor and aroma characteristics of Iberian ham.