Quality changes during storage of cooked and sliced meat products measured with PTR-MS and HS-GC-MS

•PTR-MS shows potential for detection of quality changes in cooked meat products.•The product changes measured by PTR-MS were comparable to those measured by HS-GC-MS.•5 PTR-MS ions were identified as potential spoilage markers in cooked meat products.

The changes in the VOC composition of industrially produced saveloy were measured with Proton-Transfer-Reaction Mass-Spectrometry (PTR-MS) and HeadSpace Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS) during a six weeks storage period. A decrease in the volatile organic compounds contributing to the fresh aroma of saveloy was the main change observed with both PTR-MS and HS-GC-MS. Samples of four other types of cooked and sliced meat product were measured with PTR-MS in the middle and at the end of the four week shelf-life period. These measurements showed an increase in m/z 69, 71, 87 and 89 for the pork loin and in m/z 61 for the herbal saveloy samples. These ions were assigned to the microbial spoilage markers: acetic acid, 2- and 3-methylbutanol, 2- and 3-methylbutanal, diacetyl and acetoin. Overall, this study shows that PTR-MS has potential for quality control of cooked and sliced meat products.