Gas chromatographic-olfactometric characterisation of headspace and mouthspace key aroma compounds in fresh and frozen lamb meat

► Two techniques for obtaining aroma extracts during cooking and during eating from fresh and frozen lamb have been developed. ► GC-O profiles were composed of 44 odour zones, comprising at least 54 aroma compounds of which 45 could be identified. ► 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, 2-methylbenzaldehyde and vanillin have been reported for the first time in lamb. ► Ethyl hexanoate and butanoic and 3-methylbutanoic acids showed an important role in frozen samples. ► Furaneol was only important in samples directly collected from the mouth, and pyrazines in samples collected from the grill.