Comparison of simultaneous distillation extraction (SDE) and solid-phase microextraction (SPME) for the analysis of volatile compounds in dry-cured ham

Simultaneous distillation extraction (SDE) and solid-phase microextraction (SPME) using a carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane fibre were compared for their effectiveness in the extraction of volatile compounds from dry-cured ham samples. A higher number of compounds was detected using SPME owing to the use of a solvent delay time in the GC-MS analysis of SDE extracts. SPME was more efficient in extracting low molecular weight and high volatility compounds, while SDE was able to extract compounds with low volatilities that were not extracted using SPME. Both techniques satisfactorily extracted most volatiles previously highlighted as odour-active compounds in dry-cured ham. However, the ratio between some compounds from lipid oxidation and those from degradation of amino acids was much lower in SDE extracts than with SPME, which could be a consequence of the development of Strecker degradation of amino acids during distillation in SDE owing to the high temperatures used. Similarly, diunsaturated aldehydes detected in SDE extracts were absent using SPME, probably owing to oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids in SDE as a consequence of the temperature during extraction.