Effect of extended aging of parma dry-cured ham on the content of oligopeptides and free amino acids.
The effect of the dry-curing processing time on the release of oligopeptides and amino acids was evaluated with 158 Parma hams subdivided into three groups: (1) traditional processing (450 days); (2) extended processing (570 days); and (3) extended aging (690 days). Most of the oligopeptides and free amino acids detected increased up to the last deadline (690 days); a sharp increase of peptides below 400 Da was the main change in most aged hams. In particular, gamma-glutamyl dipeptides showed a remarkable increase during ham extended aging, acting like permanent taste-active compounds, being unsuitable for further enzymatic breakdown. The pH of fresh hams showed negative relationships (P < 0.001) with most peptides. With regard to free amino acids, the pattern was modified by different processing lengths, together with their taste categories, so that the amino acids having monosodium glutamate-like and bitter tastes were enhanced in more aged hams.
Sforza
Stefano
S
Dipartimento di Chimica Organica ed Industriale, Viale G P Usberti 17/a, Campus Universitario, Università di Parma, 43100 Parma, Italy.
Galaverna
Gianni
G
Schivazappa
Cristina
C
Marchelli
Rosangela
R
Dossena
Arnaldo
A
Virgili
Roberta
R
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000032:analysis*; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; D013552:Swine; D013649:Taste; D013997:Time Factors
D000596:Amino Acids; D009842:Oligopeptides