Microbiological and Physico-Chemical Aspects in Dry-Salted Spanish Ham

Influence of low-sodium mixtures of salts on the post-salting stage of dry-cured ham process

“…As it can be observed, the ham chloride concentration is not homogeneous during and at the end of the post-salting period. The observed heterogeneous chloride distribution at the end of the post-salting stage (50 days in the traditional process) was in agreement with the experimental results obtained by Huerta et al (1988), and in disagreement with the general idea of the existence of an homogeneous salt distribution at the end of this period (Anonymous, 1999). It must be noted that for all the salt treatments the z Cl mean value in point A was greater than in points A 0 , B, B 0 and C, as could be expected due to its proximity to the main Cl À penetration pathway.…”

Biochemical characteristics of dry-cured lacón (a Spanish traditional meat product) throughout the manufacture, and sensorial properties of the final product. Effect of some additives

“…The residue nitrate values (39 ppm in the batches without additives and 70 ppm in the batches with additives) were much lower than those reported for Serrano ham (Huerta et al, 1988;Marín, Carrascosa, & Cornejo, 1995).…”

“…In the batches without additives, the pH values did not change significantly throughout the manufacturing process. The pH values observed in dry-cured lacó n were higher than those previously reported by other authors for different hams (Astiasarán et al, 1988;Bellatti et al, 1983;De Prado, 1988;González-Viñ as et al, 2003;Gou et al, 1995;Huerta et al, 1988;Mariscal et al, 2004;Silla, Innerarity, & Flores, 1985).…”

“…Although the period of manufacture of the batches of lacó n (around three months) is shorter than that of other raw-cured meat products made from whole pieces such as the hams (between 6 and 12 months), the final total solid contents determined in lacó n were similar or even higher than those observed in Iberian ham (Astiasarán, Cid, Melgar, & Bello, 1991;Có rdoba, 1990;De Prado, 1988), Serrano ham (Astiasarán et al, 1988(Astiasarán et al, , 1991Flores, Bermell, & Nieto, 1985a;Huerta, Hernández, Guamís, & Hernández, 1988;Monin, Virgili, Cornet, Gandemer, & Grasso, 1996) and French and Italian hams (Bellatti & Reverbi, 1997;Buscailhon, Berdagué, Gandemer, Touraille, & Monin, 1994b;Monin et al, 1996;Toscani, Virgili, Corbari, & Calzolari, 2000). This may be explained by the fact that lacón, being a piece of smaller size and thickness, has a larger surface to weight ratio, which favours dehydration throughout the post-salting and drying-ripening stages.…”

Proteolytic activity of Staphylococcus xylosus strains on pork myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic proteins and use of selected strains in the production of 'Naples type' salami

“…Usually, milk‐ or gelatine‐based substrates are used to test the proteolytic activity of micro‐organisms isolated from food ( Huerta et al . 1987, 1988; Cornejo and Carrascova 1991; Ansenio et al . 1995).…”