Changes of the volatile fraction of cooked chicken meat during chill storing: results obtained by the electronic nose in comparison to GC-MS and GC olfactometry

In the present study the changes of the volatile fraction of heat-treated chicken meat in the course of chill storage were observed by using different techniques. It was the aim of the study to compare the results obtained by the new technique of the electronic nose to those gained by CC-MS and GC olfactometry (using comparative aroma extract dilution analysis). Chill storage at 4 degrees C of cooked chicken meat showed large increases in concentration as well as in flavour dilution factors of typical lipid oxidation products such as saturated and unsaturated aldehydes as well as alkylated furans, especially within the first 24 h. These results were confirmed by cluster analysis of selected lipid oxidation products. Analysing the chicken meat with an electronic nose showed results which are highly correlated with those obtained by commonly used and well-known gas chromatographic techniques.