Taste compounds in chorizo and their changes during ripening.

Taste compounds in chorizo-a dry fermented sausage-prepared by both traditional and industrial methods, i.e. D- and L-lactic acid, acetic acid, free amino acids and ATP derivatives, were analysed. Industrial chorizo contained larger amounts of D-lactic, L-lactic and acetic acids, several amino acids (e.g. γ-aminobutyric acid, phenylalanine) and hypoxanthine (Hx) than the traditional one (p < 0.05). The variations in taste compounds during the ripening of chorizo were tracked. D-Lactic and acetic acid increased, as well as most of the amino acids. ATP derivatives showed characteristic changes, IMP decreased on the first day and inosine (Ino) changed gradually to Hx during ripening. The taste compounds contents of garlic and paprika were studied. There was an important contribution of asparagine from spices to the initial mixture of sausage.