SIFT-MS analysis of Iberian hams from pigs reared under different conditions

- The SIFT-MS analysis allowed the rapid quantification of 39 volatile compounds.
- SIFT-MS data revealed that 16 compounds were affected by pig rearing conditions.
- The full spectra SIFT-MS data allowed the correct classification of 79.2% of hams.
- SIFT-MS data provide a faster but rougher ham classification than fatty acid data.

The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of a Selected Ion Flow Tube-Mass Spectrometry (SIFT-MS) equipment to tentatively quantify relevant volatile compounds of dry-cured Iberian ham, and to differentiate Iberian hams from pigs reared at four different conditions yielding different commercial grades. The SIFT-MS analysis allowed the rapid quantification of 39 Iberian ham volatile compounds, 16 of them being significantly affected by the rearing conditions of pigs. The full spectra SIFT-MS data allowed the correct classification of 79.2% of hams according to diet, which is a smaller percentage than that obtained using intramuscular fatty acid data (95.8%) obtained by using a gas chromatograph-flame ionization detector after lipid extraction and transesterification. Therefore, the SIFT-MS analysis would be a rapid tool to tentatively quantify some relevant volatile compounds, and also would provide a rapid but rough classification of Iberian ham according to the rearing conditions of pigs.