Physico-chemical, textural, lipolytic and volatile compound changes that occur during the manufacture of dry-
cured foal loin were studied. Hardness and chewiness increased significantly (P b 0.001) from 1.67 kg and
0.48 kg ∗ mm to 18.33 kg and 5.01 kg ∗ mm, respectively during ripening process. The total average content of
free fatty acid increased significantly (P b 0.001), from 768.8 mg/100 g of fat in the loins immediately after the
seasoning period to 1271.1 mg/100 g of fat at the end of the drying-ripening period. In the final product, alde-
hydes became the dominant volatile compound