Process for forming volatile flavor compounds in Jinhua Ham by discriminant analysis method

In order to realize the forming process of the flavor substances in Jinhua ham, 60 Jinhua hams were processed using legs of cross-line pigs by traditional processing technology and the peak areas of flavor volatiles in ham muscle after each processing stage were analyzed by using Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS). The possibility of discriminating Jinhua hams of different processing stages by using discriminant functions established on the volatile peak areas or ratios of the volatile peak areas accounting for the total peak area was individually studied. The results show that when stepwise discriminant analysis was performed on volatile peak areas of Jinhua ham, 20 kinds of volatile compounds enter the gained discriminant functions; while 17 kinds of volatile compounds enter the gained discriminant functions when ratios of the volatile peak areas accounting for the total peak area are analyzed. All of the two series of discriminant functions established can be used to discriminate Jinhua hams of different stages accurately. The results indicate that the flavor compounds are formed gradually during Jinhua ham processing and characterized by the concentrations and ratios of the character flavor compounds at different stages, which can be used to discriminate Jinhua hams of different processing stages.