Aroma evolution in aged horse meat: dry vs. vacuum aging

Lucrezia Forte; Giovanna Calzaretti; Giovanna Incampo; Giuseppe Natrella; Márcio Vargas-Ramella; Pasquale De Palo; Igor Tomašević; Aristide Maggiolino

doi:10.18485/meattech.2025.66.3.80

Lucrezia Forte University of Bari Aldo Moro, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Valenzano, Bari, Italy https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3523-9078
Giovanna Calzaretti University of Bari Aldo Moro, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Valenzano, Bari, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3191-2136
Giovanna Incampo University of Bari Aldo Moro, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
Giuseppe Natrella University of Bari Aldo Moro Department of Soil, Plant and Food Science, Bari, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7203-2608
Márcio Vargas-Ramella Centro de Educação Superior da Região Sul—CERES, Laguna, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8101-9333
Pasquale De Palo University of Bari Aldo Moro, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Valenzano, Bari, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5612-1691
Igor Tomašević University of Belgrade Faculty of Agriculture, Belgrade, Serbia; DIL German Institute of Food Technology, Quakenbrück, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1611-2264
Aristide Maggiolino University of Bari Aldo Moro, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Valenzano, Bari, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7128-8556

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18485/meattech.2025.66.3.80

Keywords: horse meat, dry aging, vacuum aging, volatile compounds

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of aging method (dry vs. vacuum) and duration (0, 3, and 6 weeks) on the volatile compound profile of horse loin meat. Twenty-seven Italian Heavy Draft Horse foals were reared under uniform conditions and slaughtered at 17 months. Loin samples were aged under controlled dry or vacuum conditions and analyzed for volatile organic compounds using headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Results revealed that, compared with vacuum aging, dry aging led to a significantly higher accumulation of aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, and sulfur compounds, especially after three weeks, reflecting increased lipid oxidation and microbial activity. Notably, hexanal and nonanal levels surged in dry-aged meat, enhancing flavor complexity but also indicating oxidative degradation. Conversely, vacuum aging limited oxidation, preserving a fresher profile with fewer oxidative markers, but saw a moderate increase in certain furans and hydrocarbons, possibly due to anaerobic microbial metabolism. Overall, three weeks of dry aging emerged as the optimal balance, enhancing desirable aroma compounds without excessive oxidation. In conclusion, these findings contribute to the understanding of flavor development in horse meat and suggest that aging strategies can be tailored to optimize sensory quality and product stability.