title: Evolution of proteolytic and physico-chemical characteristics of Norwegian dry-cured ham during its processing.
abstract: Proteolytic activity and physico-chemical characteristics were studied for Norwegian dry-cured ham at four different times of processing: raw hams, post-salted hams (3 months of processing), hams selected in the middle of the production (12 months of processing) and hams at the end of the processing (24 months). Cathepsin H activity decreased until negligible values after 3 months of processing, whereas cathepsins B and B+L were inactive at 12 months. AAP was the most active aminopeptidase whereas RAP and MAP were active just during the first 12 months of processing. Proteolysis index reached a value of 4.56±1.03 % with non-significant differences between 12 and 24 months of ripening. Peptide identification by LC-MS/MS was done and two peptides (GVEEPPKGHKGNKK and QAISNNKDQGSY) showing a linear response with the time of processing were found. Unfreezable water content and glass transition temperature were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique with non-significant differences in the temperature of glass transition for 12 and 24 months of processing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Energy and Process Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Inna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Petrova
authors.affiliation: Department of Energy and Process Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Ignat
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tolstorebrov
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (CSIC), Avenue Agustí Escardino 7, 46980 Paterna, (Valencia), Spain.
authors.forename: Leticia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mora
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (CSIC), Avenue Agustí Escardino 7, 46980 Paterna, (Valencia), Spain. Electronic address: ftoldra@iata.csic.es.
authors.forename: Fidel
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Toldrá
authors.affiliation: Department of Energy and Process Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Trygve Magne
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Eikevik
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D005511:Food Handling; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008461:Meat Products / Q000032:analysis*; D009664:Norway; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis; D059748:Proteolysis; D013552:Swine; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides
keywords: DSC; dry-cured ham; muscle enzymes; peptides; proteolysis