A Comparison of the Volatile Fractions from Cured and Uncured Meat

SUMMARY Gas chromatographic examination of the volatiles of cured and uncured ham showed that hexanal and valeraldehyde were present in appreciable quantities in the uncured product hut were barely detectable in the volatiles of the cured meat. The differences were less pronounced in the contents of hutyraldehyde, propionaldehyde, and acetaldehyde between cured and uncured ham volatiles, though these aldehydes tended to be more prevalent in the uncured ham. The branched‐chain aldehydes (isobutyraldehyde, isovaleraldehyde, 2‐methyl‐hutyraldehyde) occurred to the same extent in both meats. Acetone was found to represent a major carhonyl constituent of the volatiles in both cured and uncured ham. The sulfur‐containing fractions of the volatiles from both meats were found to comprise hydrogen sulfide and methanethiol.