Dry-cured ham restructured with fibrin.
The viability of a fibrinogen-thrombin system (FT) to bind fresh deboned hams for incorporation in the salting and ripening processes, to produce cured ham, was studied. The effects of the different processing variables (pH, NaCl concentration, temperature and gelation time) on FT, a meat emulsion mixed with FT, fresh pork portions and deboned hams restructured with FT were analyzed. The most stable and firmest fibrin gels were obtained after 6h of adding the FT, with less than 2% NaCl and pH 7-8.4. Scanning electron microscopy of the fibrin gel showed fibrillar structures with a high degree of cross-linking and a high density. Two structures were found in the binding area of restructured meat; one in the central part with similar characteristics to fibrin gels and, another in the area of contact between the meat surfaces, where a filamentous structure connected the fibrin gels with the muscle bundles.
Dpto. de Nutrición, Bromatología y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
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Romero de Ávila
Dpto. de Nutrición, Bromatología y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
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Hoz
Dpto. de Nutrición, Bromatología y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
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Ordóñez
Dpto. de Nutrición, Bromatología y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: icambero@vet.ucm.es.
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Cambero
D000818:Animals; D005337:Fibrin / Q000737:chemistry*; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D005782:Gels; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D012212:Rheology; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000032:analysis; D013552:Swine; D013917:Thrombin / Q000737:chemistry*
D005782:Gels; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D005337:Fibrin; D005340:Fibrinogen; D013917:Thrombin
Binding parameters; Cold-set binder; Fibrinogen–thrombin; Microstructure; Pork; Restructured dry ham