The influence of drying conditions, latex type, talc content and amount of added aroma compounds on the retention and distribution of aroma compounds in barrier dispersion coatings was explored using static headspace gas chromatography combined with multivariate data analysis. The model aroma system consisted of an alcohol, an ester, an aldehyde, a ketone and two terpenes. Four latex grades based on styrene-acrylate and styrene-butadiene were studied. It was found that non-polar aroma compounds were retained best in styrene-butadiene latex, while polar ones were retained more in the styrene-acrylate latex. Talc increased the retention of all the aroma compounds. The retention of polar compounds was higher with shorter drying times, which is probably due to greater losses during the later steps of the film formation process when internal water was evaporated. Polarity and talc also affected the partition of the aroma compounds between air and film. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.