## 3 Results and Discussion
### Volatile Compounds  
The volatile compounds contribute to the unique sensory characteristics of fermented meat products [86]. During meat manufacturing and storage, muscle, endogenous, and microbial enzymes are responsible for the degradation of branched-chain amino acids, which, along with lipid oxidation and Maillard reaction, lead to the formation of various volatile compounds [7; 87]. Some physical conditions, as well as the addition of preservation compounds, influence the biochemical processes and alter the composition of the volatile compounds and, as a result, the flavor generation of finished food products. Therefore, the meat product aroma characteristic is related to the composition and concentration of active volatile compounds exceeding the olfactory threshold [13]. A total of 60 volatile compounds were identified in the raw fermented beef hams. The identified volatile compounds belonged to many chemical groups: alcohols (11), aldehydes (11), carboxylic acids  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c} \hline \hline
**Treatment** & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**C**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**A**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**AW**} \\
**Storage Time** & **Fresh 0 Months** & **8 Months** & **Fresh 0 Months** & **8 Months** & **Fresh 0 Months** & **8 Months** \\ \hline SFA & 41.95 \(\pm\) 0.05 \({}^{\text{\,\AA}}\) & 48.10 \(\pm\) 0.50 \({}^{\text{\,\text{\text{\text{\text{\text{\text{\text{\text{\text{\text{\text{\text{ \text{ \text  
(2), esters (15), (1), hydrocarbons (10), ketones (5), pyrazines (4), and others (2). Detailed results of the analysis of volatile compounds are shown in Table 4. The statistical analysis showed significant differences (\(p<0.05\)) in the relative content of many individual volatiles depending on the treatment and storage time (Table 4). Alcohols were one of the most abundant groups. Alcohols are associated with a characteristic fatty odor and are considered to be a product of a transamination and decarboxylation of branched-chain amino acid, as well as of the secondary oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids [11; 13]. The storage of hams resulted in an increase in the alcohol content in the C samples and a decrease in the acid whey treatment. The ethanol content after production was the highest in the C treatment and decreased during storage in all variants of hams. In general, alcohols do not have a large impact on the aroma of dry fermented meat products due to their high odor threshold, although some of them have a low odor threshold and can potentially have a significant impact on the smell of these products. These include 1-octen-3-ol, associated with the mushroom/fungus-like aroma [88; 89]. In the study of [PERSON] et al. (2014), 1-octen-3-ol was the most abundant alcohol in Istrian dry-cured ham meat [70]. In the studied hams, 1- octen-3-ol was present in low amounts (0.17-1.915%). After storage, the concentration of this alcohol increased in AW samples and was higher than in control hams. Another alcohol, 1-butanol, 3-methyl, which, at an appropriate concentration, can be responsible for a pleasant woody, acorn, and green odor [90] after production was present in the highest content in the ham treated with acid whey. Storage resulted in a decrease in this alcohol in the AW samples, while, in C variants, the content increased (Table 4). The stored A hams had a lower content of 2,3-butanediol S compared to C and AW variants. As a result of storage, the content of 2,3-butanediol S in the tested samples increased. 2,3-butanediol can be attributed to the metabolism of lactate and pyruvate catalyzed by LAB [91]. The second major group of volatile compounds in studied hams were aldehydes (11 aldehydes were detected in studied hams). The presence of aldehydes is associated with oxidative reactions of unsaturated fatty acids and proteolytic activity [92; 93; 94]. Aldehydes, due to their low odor threshold values, can contribute to the development of meat products' aroma [95]. Aliphatic saturated aldehydes are good indicators of oxidation occurring in raw-ripened hams.