Characterization of Ham Flavor Using an Atomic Emission Detector

Volatile flavor compounds were isolated from a cured, precooked premium ham by using a Likens-Nickerson apparatus. Four individual 250-g ham samples were used to provide flavor isolates. These isolates were pooled and concentrated for extensive gas chromatographic analysis. Atomic emission detection (AED), flame ionization detection, flame photometric detection, nitrogen phosphorus detection, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry were used to qualitatively determine specific constituents of the pooled solvent fraction. AED spectra proved useful in the selective detection of nitrogen-, oxygen-, and sulfur-containing compounds by comparison of the elemental profiles to the various GC chromatograms. More than 60 heteroatomic compounds were tentatively identified in this study.