Release of aroma compounds from dry-fermented sausages as affected by antioxidant and saliva addition

The effect of the addition of an antioxidant and saliva on the release of aroma compounds from dry fermented sausages was studied by extracting the headspace at different times using solid phase micro-extraction technique. The compounds were analysed by gas chromatography using a FID detector and identified by mass spectrometry. The addition of butylated hydroxytoluene to dry fermented sausages produced a significant reduction of the release of most of the volatile compounds indicating an oxidation process during sampling. The addition of water and saliva to the dry fermented sausages produced a higher release of pentanal, hexanal and octanal, whilst pentane, 1-octanol, pentanoic acid, and propanal showed a lower rate of release. Moreover, phenylethyl alcohol, 2-butanone, 2,3-pentanedione and 2-nonanone, derived from bacterial metabolism, presented a lower release rate when water and saliva were added. The rate of release of the compounds from dry fermented sausages was not related with the compound hydrophobicity value. Further research is needed to elucidate the effect of fermented sausage matrix on the partitioning of the compounds and its effect on aroma perception.