Abstract: The volatile aroma components of dry-cured mutton ham at 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 d of storage were analyzed using an electronic nose (E-nose) and headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). E-nose results showed that overall flavor of mutton ham was different at different storage times. GC-MS analysis identified 94 volatile aroma components belonging to 7 classes, with hydrocarbons and aldehydes being significantly more abundant than other flavor compounds. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) analysis indicated that 3-methyl-butanal, pentanal, hexanal, 5-methyl-hexanal, nonanal, benzaldehyde, 2-methyl-2-undecanethiol, 1-pentanol, 1-octen-3-ol, 2-octanone, butanedione, 2-nonanone, acetic acid and 2,6-dimethylpyrazine were identified as characteristic flavor compounds of mutton ham during storage. These research results provide valuable information for understanding the changes in flavor composition during the storage of mutton ham, which is helpful to promote the industrialization of mutton ham.

Key words: mutton ham, storage, E-nose, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), aroma