Generation of volatile compounds in Brazilian low-sodium dry fermented sausages containing blends of NaC1, KC1, and CaC12 during processing and storage

•NaCl reduction did not affect the volatile compounds during processing.•KCl increased the volatile compounds from carbohydrate fermentation during storage.•KCl increased the volatile compounds from the amino acid degradation during storage.•CaCl2 increased the volatile compounds from lipid oxidation.•NaCl increased the volatile compounds from lipid oxidation during the storage.

Brazilian dry fermented sausages with different salt contents were manufactured: control (2.5% NaCl), 50% salt reduced (1.25% NaCl, F1), 50% replaced by KCl (1.25% NaCl and 1.25% KCl, F2), 50% replaced by CaCl2 (1.25% NaCl and 1.25% CaCl2, F3), and 50% replaced by KCl and CaCl2 (1.25% NaCl, 0.625% KCl and 0.625% CaCl2, F4). Changes in the composition of volatile compounds were studied during processing (0, 7, and 19 days) and storage (30, 60, and 90 days). Neither reduction nor replacement of NaCl by KCI affected the volatile compounds produced during the manufacturing process, and both increased the volatile compounds from carbohydrate fermentation and amino acid degradation during storage. The addition of CaCl2 improved the generation of hexanal and (E)-hept-2-enal and other volatiles from lipid oxidation during processing and storage. After 90 days of storage, the control sample showed an increase in the generation of volatile compounds from lipid oxidation.