ABSTRACTAroma compounds isolated from cooked fresh ground beef, freeze‐dried, defatted and rehydrated to 58% and 17% water, respectively, were less meaty and contained higher relative concentrations of hydrocarbons, ketones, lactones, esters, benzenoids, pyrroles, pyridines and thiazol(in)es (58% H2O), and of aliphatic ketones, lactones, esters, aliphatic sulfur compounds, pyrroles and pyrazines (17% H2O) than those obtained from untreated beef. Maximum production of volatiles at water activity (aw)˜0.7, described previously for a model simulated meat flavor system, did not occur. Suggested contributory components to the meatier aroma analyzed from untreated beef were 2‐methyl‐3‐(methylthio)furan, 3‐(and 2‐)methylcyclopcntanones, cyclopent‐2‐enones and c