The aim of this work was to study the effect of the sampling conditions on the most odour-active compounds of Iberian ham. Compounds were identified by using an olfatometry technique, and the detection frequency method was used to measure odour relative intensities. When compared the detection frequency after the mild (50 degrees C for 5 min preheating and 25 min purge) and drastic (90 degrees C for I min preheating and 9 min purge) extraction conditions, no effect was found on some compounds, but on others the drastic conditions caused an increase (hydrogen sulfide, 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, acetaldehyde, 2,3-butanedione, 2-pentanone, hexanal/(Z)-3-hexenal, ethyl-2-methylpropanoate, ethyl-2-methylbutanoate/(E)-2-hexenal, (E)-2-heptenal) or a decrease (coelution of methional and furfurylthiol) in the detection frequency scores.