Determination of volatile marker compounds in raw ham using headspace-trap gas chromatography

A simple, reliable and automated method was developed and optimized for qualification and quantification of aroma-relevant volatile marker compounds of North European raw ham using a headspace (HS)-Trap gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and GC-flame ionization detector (FID) analysis. A total of 38 volatile compounds were detected with this HS-Trap GC–MS method amongst which the largest groups were ketones (12), alcohols (8), hydrocarbons (7), aldehydes (6) and esters (3). The HS-Trap GC-FID method was optimized for the parameters: thermostatting time and temperature, vial and desorption pressure, number of extraction cycles and salt addition. A validation for 13 volatile marker compounds with limits of detection in ng/g was carried out. The optimized method can serve as alternative to conventional headspace and solid phase micro extraction methods and allows users to determine volatile compounds in raw hams making it of interest to industrial and academic meat scientists.