Quality characteristics of chunked and formed hams from pale, average and dark muscles were improved using an ammonium hydroxide curing solution.
Cooking yield, cooked pH, purge loss, moisture, lipid oxidation, external and internal color, break strength and elongation distance were assessed for pale (PALE), average (AVG) and dark (DARK) inside hams injected with either a control cure solution (CON) or BPI-processing technology cure solution (BPT). Following enhancement, muscles were chunked, vacuum tumbled, smoked and cooked to 66 degrees C. Cooked ham pH was 6.49 for DARK, 6.40 for AVG, and 6.30 for PALE, respectively (P<0.0001). Cooked pH was higher (P<.0001) for BPT than CON. Cooked ham moisture content was higher (P<0.0001) for BPT hams than CON hams (74.83 vs. 74.11%) but BPT did not significantly influence cooking yield or lipid oxidation. Consumers (n=150) of diverse demographics rated hams for appearance and taste. Results indicated that BPI-processing technology improved visual appearance of hams made from pale, average, and dark muscles and improved the eating quality of hams made from pale muscles.
Everts
A J
AJ
Department of Animal and Range Sciences, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007, USA.
Wulf
D M
DM
Everts
A K R
AK
Nath
T M
TM
Jennings
T D
TD
Weaver
A D
AD
D064753:Ammonium Hydroxide; D000818:Animals; D003116:Color; D003296:Cooking; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D005524:Food Technology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D006878:Hydroxides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008460:Meat / Q000592:standards*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D013552:Swine; D013649:Taste; D014867:Water
D006878:Hydroxides; D014867:Water; D064753:Ammonium Hydroxide