Direct sampling gas-liquid chromatographic--mass spectrometric analysis of hexanal from non-nitrite and nitrite-cured...

Direct sampling gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to quantitate hexanal levels in nitrite and non-nitrite cured loin bacon stored for two weeks at 4 degrees C. The objective was to evaluate the effect of varying levels of sodium nitrite on the flavour of cured bacon. Non-nitrite cured bacon yielded greater amounts of hexanal than bacon cured with 40, 120 and 1000 ppm sodium nitrite. Initially the differences were not significant but became evident during storage. Hexanal produced by samples during storage paralleled subjective undesirable flavour estimates (r = -0.88) and would undoubtedly be useful as an indicator of oxidative deterioration or rancidity for this product.