Quantification and kinetics of the residual brine generation during ham and shoulder pile salting.

Salting is one of the most important stages of the traditional process of cured ham manufacturing. During pile salting a saturated brine is formed and drips through the orifices located at the bottom of the salting containers. The objective of the present work was to quantify the released brine in the ham manufacturing industry in Spain and to relate the brine generation with the salt gained by hams in the process. The total released brine during ham and shoulder salting in Spain was determined theoretically and from the experimental values obtained from the industry (around 38,000 metric tons in 2002). In addition to that, an easy method for the estimation of the NaCl gained by hams and shoulders was developed by using the measurements of the released brine (the estimated NaCl gained differed 3.5% from the experimental data).

[Osmotic dehydration of apple (Grany Smith) with different osmotic solutions]. / Deshidratación osmótica de manzana (Grany Smith) con diferentes soluciones osmóticas.

The process of osmotic dehydration in apple rings at 40 degrees, 50 degrees and 60 degrees C in two osmotic agents were studied. The agents were similar in concentration, water activity and viscosity but differed in composition. The weight loss, water content, solids uptake and Brix showed differences in the medius studied. In syrup corn medium, the weight loss was higher and the solids uptake was lower than syrup sucrose. The polysacharides from the syrup corn lowered solutes uptake and the water out was facilited.