###### Abstract  
During ham processing the action of endogenous proteolytic and lipolytic enzymes leads to the development of volatile compounds (VOCs) responsible of typical aromas. Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) of Toscano ham requires at least 12 months of ripening but extended seasoning might improve flavor and economic value. This study aimed at assessing the evolution of color, fatty acids, and VOCs profile in subcutaneous fat, and, among VOCs, at identifying possible markers characterizing different seasoning length. For this purpose, a reduced pool of VOCs was selected by 3 multivariate statistical techniques (stepwise discriminant analysis, canonical discriminant analysis and discriminant analysis) to classify harms according to ripening (<12 months) or seasoning (\(\geq\)12 months) periods and also to seasoning length (S12, S14, S16, or S18 months). The main VOCs chemical families steadily increased along ripening. Aldehydes and hydrocarbons reached their peaks at S16, acids and ketones remained constant from R6 to S16, whereas esters started decreasing after 12 months of seasoning. Stepwise analysis selected 5 compounds able to discriminate between ripening and seasoning periods, with 1,1-diethyloxyhexane and dodecanoic acid being the most powerful descriptors for ripening and seasoning period, respectively. Instead, 12 compounds were needed to correctly classify harms within seasoning. Among them, undecanoic acid methyl ester, formic acid ethyl ester, 2,4,4-trimethylhexane, and 6-methoxy-2-hexanone had a central role in differentiating the seasoning length. p 2020 by the authors. Licenses MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license ([[https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)]([https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/))). Drry-cured ham has a characteristic flavor that originates from biochemical reactions during processing and seasoning of harms. In the case of Toscano dry-cured ham, the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) states the minimum seasoning length in 12 months, but seasoning can be extended achieving favorable outcomes on sensory characteristics, and above all on aroma. of products and to consumer acceptability [1; 2; 3]. In the last years consumers have put increasing pressure on the manufacturers to produce healthier products but also with certain quality characteristics that distinguish the production process. In fact, it is important for producers to develop new lines of products or to change already existing ones in order to meet different consumer requests [3]. In the last years, Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) productions have been affected by changes in the dry-cured process due to market demands. In addition to the reduction of fat, salt, and preserving agents, there was also a request to extend the seasoning period, especially for harms. The recipe reformulation is likely to have impact on the sensory qualities and on the development of the aroma [4]. Aroma is produced by an interaction of factors including the manufacture process [5]. PDO Toscano dry-cured ham production lasts for at least 12 months. During the process numerous changes linked to water loss, salt intake, lipolysis, and proteolysis take place [6]. Sensory characteristics of the harms are mainly linked to physical and biochemical reactions caused by endogenous proteolytic and lipolytic enzymes during the drying and ripening/maturation phases [7]. The standardization of the seasoning process has meant that the qualitative variations of the products are mainly due to the intrinsic characteristics of the fresh harms [8]. With the modification of the seasoning time, chemical and sensory changes strongly depend on the duration of the ripening process [9].