title: Assessing quality parameters in dry-cured ham using microwave spectroscopy.
abstract: Microwave spectroscopy has been applied in numerous non-food industry applications, and recently also in the food industry, for non-destructive measurements. In this study, a dry-cured ham model was designed and chemical analyses were performed for determining water activity, water content and salt content (sodium chloride) for all samples. These chemical parameters were also measured using microwave spectroscopy, with a rectangular microwave cavity resonator. Results indicate that microwave spectroscopy may be a promising technique for determination of water activity, salt content and water content in dry-cured ham using either reflected or transmitted signals.
authors.affiliation: Dept. Quality and Processing, Animalia, Norwegian Meat and Poultry Research Centre, P.B. 396 Økern, 0513 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: stefania.bjarnadottir@animalia.no.
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Bjarnadottir
authors.affiliation: Dept. Quality and Processing, Animalia, Norwegian Meat and Poultry Research Centre, P.B. 396 Økern, 0513 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lunde
authors.affiliation: Dept. Quality and Processing, Animalia, Norwegian Meat and Poultry Research Centre, P.B. 396 Økern, 0513 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Alvseike
authors.affiliation: Built Environment and Sustainable Technologies (BEST) Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, Henry Cotton Building, 15-21 Webster Street, Liverpool L3 2ET, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.affiliation: Built Environment and Sustainable Technologies (BEST) Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, Henry Cotton Building, 15-21 Webster Street, Liverpool L3 2ET, UK.
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Al-Shamma'a
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003890:Desiccation; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D063427:Food Quality; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D008461:Meat Products / Q000032:analysis*; D008872:Microwaves; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry; D012492:Salts / Q000032:analysis; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D013552:Swine; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D012492:Salts; D014867:Water
keywords: Dry-cured ham; Microwave; Salt content; Water activity; Water content