ABSTRACT
The left hams of 20 pig carcasses were processed by dry-curing for either 179 (n = 10) or 273 days (n = 10). The Biceps femoris was taken at the end of the processing and submitted to chemical and sensory analyses. The following chemical traits were determined: pH, moisture, salt content, fatty acid content and composition of lipid classes (triglycerides, phospholipids, free fatty acids), nitrogen fractions (soluble and insoluble protein, non-protein nitrogen, free amino acids) and volatile compounds. Sensory analysis was performed by a panel of 12 trained members, who scored texture traits (firmness, dryness, fibrousness, mellowness), taste (salty, acid), intensity of aromas (typical of dry ham, fresh meat, fat, cured meat, rancid, metal), persistence of dry ham aroma, persistence of taste after deglutition, persistence of astringency, persistence of metallic taste. The sensory qualities of dry-cured ham showed noticeable changes between days 179 and 273. Firmness, dryness and intensities of aromas typical of dry-cured ham and cured meat were enhanced with time. Neither pH, moisture nor salt content played a noticeable role in determining the sensory quality of dry-cured ham. Among the volatile compounds, the levels of several ketones and 1-butanol were significantly correlated with the aromas of dry ham and cured meat, while rancid aroma was related to aldehydes, ethylacetate, 2,3-pentanedione and nonane. Therefore, the aromas of dry ham and cured meat appeared to be determined mainly by the products of lipid oxidation. However, they were related also to unidentified volatile compounds, whose identification would be of particular interest.
ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in intramuscular lipids during the processing of French dry-cured hams. In the fresh biceps femoris muscle, the lipid content was on average, 105 mg/g DM with a large individual variation. Glycerides accounted for about 75% of total lipids. During processing for 273 days, phospholipid content decreased markedly whereas free fatty acid content rose from 1·9 mg/g DM to 9·4 mg/g DM. Little change affected the fatty acid composition of both glycerides and phospholipids during processing. After a decrease in the proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids during the first 2 months, free fatty acid composition remained stable. The results suggest that lipid alteration during dry-curing of hams is due to lipolysis and that lipid oxidation is limited.
ABSTRACT
The 80 hams of 40 pig carcasses from one slaughter batch were taken on the day after slaughter. The 40 left hams were dry-cured. Groups of 10 hams were taken for analysis at 74 days (end of rest), 81 days (end of heating), 179 days (mid-seasoning) and 273 days (end of seasoning) after the beginning of processing. A slice of about 150 g was taken in the middle of the Biceps femoris and used for analysis of nitrogen fractions and free amino acids by HPLC. Levels of insoluble nitrogen compounds did not vary significantly, while levels of soluble protein nitrogen decreased strongly from 26 to 16% of total nitrogen, with the fastest decrease observed between days 179 and 273. Levels of non-protein nitrogen increased regularly during the processing from 12 to 23% of total nitrogen. Nitrogen of free amino acids ranged from 3·6% in fresh muscle to 16·6% of total nitrogen at day 179, then decreased to 4·4% of the total nitrogen at the end of the processing. The HPLC method allowed the identification of 29 compounds, among which 27 were amino acids and 2 were dipeptides. The average levels of free amino acids of non-protein origin tended to decrease before day 74, then to increase until day 179 and to decrease again. The levels of compounds of protein origin increased or tended to increase from the beginning until day 179, then decreased.
