Volatile compounds of fresh and dry-cured loin as affected by dietary conjugated linoleic acid and monounsaturated fatty acids

Three levels (0%, 1% and 2%) of an enriched conjugated linoleic acid oil (CLA) were combined with two levels of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) (low (19%) average and high (39%) average) for pig feeding. The profile of volatile compounds of fresh and dry-cured loin as affected by dietary CLA, MUFA and CLA × MUFA interaction was studied by headspace-solid phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. A total of 27 and 69 compounds were identified in fresh loin and dry-cured loin, respectively. Identified compounds were alcohols, aldehydes, aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, esters, furans, ketones, nitrogen compounds, sulphur compounds and terpenes. No qualitative differences in volatile compounds caused by the assayed treatments were found neither in fresh loin nor in dry-cured loin. Dietary CLA, MUFA and their interaction did not affect the level of most detected volatiles. Nevertheless, in fresh loin, the level of heptanal significantly increased due to dietary CLA (p = 0.001) and the area units (AU) for ethyl benzene and 1,3-dimethyl benzene increased at 1% CLA (p < 0.05). In the case of dry-cured loin, the AU of heptanal, nonanal and 2-nonenal contents increased due to dietary CLA (p = 0.016, 0.024 and 0.019, respectively).