title: Softness in dry-cured porcine biceps femoris muscles in relation to meat quality characteristics and processing conditions.
abstract: The aim of the study was to quantify the effect of meat quality characteristics and some processing conditions on the softness of dry-cured biceps femoris (BF) muscles. The BF muscles were dissected from forty hams and classified according to their pH(BF) into three groups: LpH (pH<5.66), MpH (5.66⩽pH⩽6.00) and HpH (pH>6.00). BF muscles within each pH(BF) group were distributed into three different Salting levels (1%, 2% or 4% of added NaCl). Muscles were salted, vacuum-packed and stored at 3°C for 30 days. The post-salting BF muscles were classified into two intramuscular fat (IMF) levels: Low (IMF<4%) and High (IMF⩾4%). Thereafter, the muscles were divided into two pieces and dried at two of the three different Drying levels (1.5, 2 and 2.5g H(2)O/g desalted dry matter). Then, each piece was divided into two samples that were packed in N(2) and stored at 5°C or 30°C for 1 month. Stress Relaxation was used to evaluate texture. Dry-cured BF muscles with initial pH>6.0, with IMF>4% or with added NaCl levels less than 2% were more prone to show soft texture. Softness in dry-cured muscles can be reduced by applying an ageing temperature of 30°C for 30 days, despite increasing proteolysis. The softness reduction by ageing at 30°C compared with 5°C is expected to be higher when applied to drier samples, which show a smaller increase in proteolysis.
authors: IRTA. Finca Camps i Armet, E-17121 Monells (Girona), Spain.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Morales
authors: X
authors: X
authors: Serra
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Guerrero
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Gou