Anais do Simpósio Latino Americano de Ciências de Alimentos
Anais do 14 SLACA - Simpósio Latino Americano de Ciência de Alimentos

This study aimed to evaluate changes in the composition of volatile compounds (VCs) in dry-cured sheep legs spiced (SLS) or only salted (control; SLC) along the maturation. Black pepper, white pepper, nutmeg, onion, marjoram, garlic, and salt were used for the seasoning of SLS, while only salt was used in SLC. Then, the cured sheep legs (SL) were dried and matured under specific relative humidity and temperature program, with sampling for volatile compounds (VCs) profile and mycological analyses at 90 and 180 days, intermediate and final stages, respectively. The VCs extraction was carried out by solid-phase microextraction and analyzed in gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer; and mycological analyses in Dichloran Glicerol 18% Agar. The data were submitted to an exploratory multivariate analysis using principal component analysis (PCA). A total of 123 VCs were detected in SLs, and aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, acids, and esters were common in both periods and treatments. Hexanal, 3-methyl-butanal, 2-pentanone, and ethanol were major in SLs. Fungal population was higher in SLS when compared to SLC, in both accessed times, with a predominance of xerophilic Aspergillus spp. In PCA plot was possible to discriminate samples by time of maturation in PC1, when samples in intermediate stage has mainly high amount of terpenes compounds from spices; on the other hand at day 180 treatments were correlated with compounds from lipid oxidation (hexanal, 1-octen-3-ol, (E)octen-1-al) and amino acid (branched-chain and aromatic alcohols, aldehydes, and acids) degradation. In PC2, was observed that SLC (90 days) and SLS (180 days) presented a high amount of linear chain organic acids, while SLS was characterized for presence of the linalool, and less compounds from enzymatic and fungal metabolism. In conclusion, maturated SLS increase the terpenes compounds from spices and consequently, it generates less lipid-derived and amino acids VCs than SLC ones.