Changes in curing agents, microbial counts and volatile compounds during processing of green bacon using two different production technologies

This study showed differences in salt concentration, nitrite/nitrate level and microbial load between bacon produced after modern processing concepts, represented by cured in bag (CIB) bacon, and traditional tank cured bacon (Wiltshire style). It also provided evidence for semiquantitative differences in the development of volatile compounds as analysed by headspace gas chromatog‐raphy (GC). The traditional bacon had an order of magnitude higher microbial counts, was more salty and contained more nitrite and volatile compounds after 21 days of storage. Measured differences in the content of volatile compounds in the two products could also be identified by differences in odour using the triangle difference test. Headspace GC‐MS analyses on samples of the two products stored for 21 days showed differences in 24 volatile compounds of which 19 were characteristic for the traditional tank cured product. Two of the nineteen characteristic compounds from the Wiltshire style product, 3‐methylbutanal and 1‐octen‐3‐ol, had a cheesy/malty odour and mushroom‐like odour, respectively, as analysed by headspace GC‐olfactometric analyses. This was partly consistent with comments from sensory analyses, where panellists gave the description cheesy for the odour of stored Wiltshire bacon samples. The reason for different development of volatile compounds between the two products and its possible consequence for improvement of flavour in bacon produced using modern concepts are discussed.