Two ethers were found in “lacón”, 3-methoxy-1-propene and 1-
methoxy-3-methylbutane, which respectively accounted for 89.4% and
10.6% of the overall abundance of this chemical group (data not
shown). The treatment and time of storage did not influence the levels
of 3-methoxy-1-propene,whichwas found in all samples. In contrast, 1-
methoxy-3-methylbutane was only detected on day 30 inMAP “lacón”,
on days 60 and 90 in VP and MAP samples, and on day 120 in VP and
P600 samples.
Although a high number of compounds is usually found in the volatile
fraction of most meat products, only a low proportion of volatile
compounds have a significant impact on their aroma. Thus, out of 612
volatile compounds found in Bayonne ham only 29 compounds were
proven to be odour-active (Théron et al., 2010). Similarly, out of the
approximately 130 volatile compounds detected in the volatile fraction
of cooked ham, only 24 compounds were identified as odourants