Study on the volatile compounds of Cantonese cured meat

A method using head space solid phase microextraction (SPME) technique combined with GC-MS was developed to analyze volatile compounds in Cantonese cured meat and the flavor extractive was identified by GC-MS.A total of 10 volatile compounds were determined.Esters were of 75.45% as major volatiles of Cantonese cured meat.The unsaturated fatty acid was of 56.60% in good cured meat and its major fatty acids were octadecenoic acid,hexadecanoic acid and octadecanoic acid.The unsaturated fatty acid was of 54.75% in degenerative cured meat,less than the content in good cured meat.It was indicated that one of reasons for degeneration of Cantonese cured meat was that unsaturated fatty acids were oxidized to saturated fatty acids,generating abnormal flavor.