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This study investigated the effect of pig breeds on the quality characteristics of dry-cured loins according to the processing stage. Physicochemical properties of 20 dry-cured processed loins with the different pig breeds [Berkshire vs Landrace×Yorkshire× Duroc (LYD; n=10)] and different processing stages (raw, curing, dry-ripened 15 day and 30 day) were analyzed. The pig breed influenced moisture content and pH with values of 59% and 53%, and 6.17 and 5.94, for Berkshire and LYD, respectively, on day 30. Dry-cured loins made with Berkshire showed higher hardness and lower cohesiveness than that of the LYD (p0.05). However, sulfhydryl content was significantly higher in Berkshire compared to the LYD after dry-ripened for 15 days (p

coli is part of the normal gastrointestinal microbial flora of humans and animals. E. coli bacteria causing enteric/diarrhoeal disease are categorized into different groups based on their virulence properties and pathogenic features in humans. Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) are E. coli strains that cause bloody diarrhoea and haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) in humans, and have a defined zoonotic association. The major virulence factor of EHEC (and the actual cause of HUS) is the ability to produce Shiga toxins (Stx), thus the name Shiga Toxin Producing E. coli (STEC). With enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), the diarrhoea in these patients is due to attaching and effacing (A/E) lesions in the enteric epithelium. This risk assessment was conducted after a human outbreak of STEC O103 in 2006, associated with contaminated dry-fermented sausages. The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (Vitenskapskomitéen for mattrygghet), Panel on Biological Hazards, was asked by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet) for a risk assessment regarding shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) in the Norwegian meat chain, with emphasis on dry-cured sausages. In response, an ad hoc Working Group of experts was appointed with the mandate to draft a risk assessment regarding this issue. The current report approaches the task by following and analysing the entire process, from the origin of the meats at farm level, to the final production and storage of dry-cured sausages. An overall aim of the report has been to identify and describe potential intervention options in various parts of this chain. The main conclusions from the risk assessment are as follows: It is not possible to give any reliable quantitative estimates of the current risk associated with consumption of dry-cured sausages. There are no clear indications of any general change in the epidemiology of STEC infections in humans in Norway over the last decade. There is no documentation that there has been any change in the occurrence of various STEC in the domestic animal reservoir during the last decade. The combination of proper slaughter hygiene and use of thermal decontamination of sheep, cattle and pig carcasses represents an efficient way to reduce STEC contamination. This approach would not only cause a reduction in the contamination level of STEC, but also provide a general beneficial effect on the level of other enteric pathogens, such as Salmonella and Yersinia enterocolitica. Proper use of starter cultures in fermentation, combined with higher fermentation temperatures, will reduce the probability of growth of STEC in contaminated drycured sausages. A combination of higher fermentation temperatures, a lower pH during the process, and heat-treatment of the final product should effectively eliminate the potential risk for transmission of STEC infections from consumption of dry-cured sausages. A 5 log reduction is possible. Technological options are available to reduce significantly the transfer of potential pathogens through meats in general, and specifically through dry-cured sausages. The most important data gap is the lack of information about the actual occurrence of STEC infections in humans in Norway. Improved laboratory diagnostic procedures and epidemiological surveillance, combined with better reporting and tracing in the health care system are necessary. The implementation of properly designed base-line studies of various domestic animals, to provide data on the occurrence of various serotypes and their virulence factors present is recommended. Also, this would provide a better basis for comparison with human isolates.

BACKGROUND Dry cured ham named Speck is a typical Italian product, with consolidated processing techniques and specific quality parameters. It has gained importance in the international market after obtaining the Protected Geographical Indication. Recent studies indicate that dietary plant extracts in pig may affect quality of processed meats but there are no data on their effect on Speck. Consequently, the effects of dietary supplementation with antioxidant mixture (AOX), containing vitamin E and polyphenols, in pigs on the nutritional characteristics, volatile compounds, sensory properties and consumers' preference of Speck were evaluated. RESULTS The Speck weight loss during seasoning was lower in the AOX group, while products quality parameters were not affected by dietary treatments. Alcohol and terpenes concentrations were lower (P

Impregnation modification of wood with melamine formaldehyde resin reduces the adverse effects caused by moisture uptake, but the underlying modes of action are not fully understood. The present study showed that it is crucial to understand the sorption behavior of the pure resin when interpreting the behavior of resin-modified wood. Furthermore, the applied heat-curing conditions had a significant effect on the moisture uptake of resin-modified wood. At the same resin loads, dry curing conditions were more effective in causing a cell wall bulking effect than wet curing conditions. This reduced the water-accessible cell wall pore volume in dry cured wood and counterbalanced the moisture uptake by the resin. Deuterium exchange measurements suggested that the occupancy of cell wall pores reduced the number of simultaneously active sorption sites. However, there was no evidence that a swelling restraint or reduced mechanical relaxation affected the water sorption of resin-modified wood significantly.

In this study, the influence of Na content in dry-cured beef by partial replacement with KCl, L-lysine, and L-histidine was investigated. Dry-cured beef aged over 57 days, compared to the control groups (100% NaCl), salt-substituted groups (SS, 39.7% of NaCl, 51.3% of KCl and a blend of 7% L-lysine and 2% L-histidine) had a significant impact on the taste thresholds, relative odor activity value (ROAV), electronic nose (E-nose), and sensory evaluation. This study revealed that the salt substitute process modified the sensory profile by intensifying the “aroma” and differentiating the control group from SS group. The results represented salt substitute analysis of dry-cured beef and may be used by food companies and other stakeholders to understand the changes in sensory characteristics of dry-cured beef due to 100% NaCl process. Salt substitute was developed successfully, presenting a good performance.

The aim of this paper was to determine the effect of production season on sensory attributes of artisanal smoked dry-cured ham and to elaborate findings by non-parametric testing and principal component analysis. Artisanal drycured hams (73 samples) were collected on open market during five consecutive production seasons from the year 2011 to 2015, and quantitative descriptive analysis was performed. The results showed that 10 out of 18 sensory attributes were significantly different (P

Sweet dipeptide Ala-Ala (AA) could be one of the most abundant dipeptides naturally generated in meat products due to the high occurrence of its sequence all along endogenous proteins, which means it could play a key role in dry-cured ham flavour development and bioactivity. In this study, a mass spectrometry in tandem methodology was optimised to quantitate the dipeptide AA in dry-cured ham manufactured under different processing conditions. Dipeptide values reached 230 µg/g after 12-month of ripening, but statistically insignificant differences were observed with salt reduction. Regarding its antihypertensive activity, an IC50 value of 110.824 µM was determined from the in vitro inhibition of angiotensin-I converting (ACE-I) enzyme, and the oral administration of 1 mg of AA per kg of body weight showed a significant reduction of the systolic blood pressure (SBP) in spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR). This study elucidates the importance of AA dipeptide and its potential role in cardiovascular health after dry-cured ham consumption., Grant AGL2017-89381-R funded by MCIN/ AEI /https://doi.org/10.13039/501100011033 by “ERDF A way of making Europe” is acknowledged. Grant PRE2018-083367 (A.H.) funded by MCIN/AEI /https://doi.org/10.13039/501100011033 and “ESF Investing in your future” and grant RYC-2016–19635 (L.M.) funded by MCIN/AEI /https://doi.org/10.13039/501100011033 and “ESF Investing in your future” are also acknowledged. Arihara funding KAKENHI (21H02348) from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science is also acknowledged.

The aim of the present work was to sensorially characterize different commercial categories of Iberian dry-cured loins (varying genetic and feeding background) using a novel dynamic sensory technique, and to explore consumers preferences applying a rapid method. The samples (green label—GL, Cebo de Campo Ibérico, red label—RL, Bellota 50% Ibérico, and black label—BL, Bellota 100%) were analyzed by (i) Check-all-that-apply (CATA) with the evaluation of an ‘Ideal’ dry-cured loin and the overall liking, and by (ii) multiple-intake Temporal Dominance of Sensations (TDS). The CATA results indicated that the sensory characteristics of RL samples were closer to those of the ‘Ideal’ loin. Furthermore, juiciness, marbling, cured flavor, chewiness, persistence, and brightness were selected as ‘must-have’ attributes. Juiciness cured flavor and red color were considered as drivers of liking. TDS results showed that flavor attributes presented the highest dominance rates, with saltiness being the most dominant attribute along BL sample evaluation, and with cured and paprika flavor for GL and RL samples. These sensory technique results displayed the ability to sensorily characterize dry-cured loins, providing different, complementary, and valuable information.

The seasonality to which dry-cured products from Iberian breed pigs finished in Montanera (free-range rearing system with feed based exclusively on ad libitum consumption of natural resources, acorns and grass) are subjected could be overcome by pre-cure freezing. Three sets of Montanera Iberian presas (Serratus ventralis muscle) (n = 15) were established to assess the impact of frozen storage -0, or non-frozen, 3 and 6 months—previous to the technological process of curing—on the quality traits of the dry-cured product Montanera Iberian dry-cured lomito. Similar seasoning and curing processing conditions were applied to all sets. Lower productive performance due to higher weight loss during curing, and lower colour intensity were observed in pre-frozen dry-cured lomitos. The fatty acid profile was more saturated, and the oxidative status increased as a result of pre-cure freezing. On the matter of texture, all parameters were modified, highlighting the higher values of hardness and shear force of pre-frozen dry-cured lomitos. The time that raw material was frozen exerted a slight, thus helping manufacturers to better address the gap between industry and consumer demand with minimal effect on quality traits.

A systematic insight into the structure-function properties of small bioactive peptides is of great importance. Herein, peptidomics and computational methodology were adopted to investigate the stabilization patterns and building blocks of antioxidant peptides resulting from proteolysis during the ripening of Spanish dry-cured ham (9-24 months of processing). The results showed that native peptides underwent manufacture-induced steric/redox stress, while homogeneous/heterogeneous p-π/π-π interaction significantly improved the ABTS+ inhibition activity of hydrophobic peptides. However, for more hydrophilic peptides, the intrinsic π-interaction system (i.e., cation-π and π-π packing) substantially interfered with ABTS+/DPPH scavenging events when compared to the aromatic residues. Semi-quantitative peptidomics and molecular simulation/docking revealed that VFSSQGQSELILLQK and LCPSPDGLYL are two potential antioxidant peptides at the late ripening-drying. They had distinctive self-folding destinies following solvation owing to varying charged/hydrophobic properties of termini and hydrogen atom donor, allowing different flexibility of backbone and interactive surface towards free radicals ex situ followed by electron/proton transfer., Grant AGL2017-89381-R funded by MCIN/ AEI /10.13039/501100011033 and “ERDF A way of making Europe” and grant RYC-2016-19635 (L.M.) funded by MCIN/AEI /10.13039/501100011033 and “ESF Investing in your future” are also acknowledged. C.L. appreciated the financial support from China Scholarship Council (CSC), China through the State Scholarship Fund for Overseas Study (No. 201806760050).

The aim of this investigation was to lay the groundwork of the potential application of Pulsed Electric Fields (PEF) technology for accelerating the drying process of meat and meat products, and specifically in this work of Spanish dry-cured sausages “longaniza”. PEF treatments were applied to pork loin samples, and the influence of different PEF parameters on the process were evaluated. An optimal PEF treatment of 1 kV/cm, 200 μs of pulse width and 28 kJ/kg was determined as the most suitable to electroporate meat cells and to improve water transfer by achieving a water content reduction of 60.4% in treated-meat samples dried at 4 °C. The influence of PEF on meat drying rate was also studied on minced pork and the results showed that with a particle size of 4.0 mm higher drying rates were achieved. To validate the results, Spanish cured sausages were prepared from treated and untreated minced pork and stuffed into gauzes and natural pork casings at pilot plant scale. After the curing process, the application of PEF to sausages stuffed into gauze reduced the drying time from 17 to 9–10 days, a reduction of 41–47%, confirming the effects described at lab scale and the potential of PEF for accelerating the sausage-drying process.

The effect of taxifolin (TXF) with starter cultures (SC), such as Leuconostoc carnosum, or a mixture of strains Pediococcus pentosaceus and Staphylococcus xylosus, on the TXF stability was evaluated. UPLC analysis demonstrated that after 181 days of storage total TXF content was the highest in samples with TXF and L. carnosum (60%), compared to the 1st day of storage. The sausages with TXF and the mixture of P. pentosaceus and S. xylosus (56%) followed next. The samples treated only with TXF retained 40% of TXF, compared to the 1st day of storage. TXF had no significant effect on the growth of lactic acid bacteria. The accumulation of biogenic amines (BA), including histamine and putrescine, was more effectively reduced in sausages inoculated with the TXF plus P. pentosaceus and S. xylosus mixture. Using this mixture, the rate of lipolysis and processes of lipid oxidation were effectively slowed down. Fatty acid (FA) composition was stable in all cases.

The aim of this study was to characterize the chemical composition of flavor precursor for five kinds of Yunnan dry-cured hams (Xuanwei, Nuodeng, Sanchuan, Heqing, and Saba ham). The water-soluble low molecular weight (WLOM) compound profiles of the hams were characterized using proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-NMR), and the free fatty acid compositions were analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In total, 48 WLOM compounds were identified, including amino acids, amino acids derivatives, organic acids, nucleic acids, vitamins, sugars, alcohols and small peptides. In addition, 16 free fatty acid compounds were detected. Compared with the other four hams, the Sanchuan ham had the highest total WLOM compounds and free fatty acid contents (P

Background: Dry-cured ham is one of the most valued food products by Mediterranean consumers. In this sense, the appropriate development of its different production stages is essential to ensure the quality requirements. For this reason, non-invasive technologies have gained popularity and have been reported as useful not only to ensure the food safety of different products, but also to monitor fundamental stages in the production process, such as the salting stage, to analyze the content of different compounds without sample losses, and to correct possible defects in the final product. Scope and approach: This work has been focused on summarizing the studies that describe and have successfully applied these techniques, as well as on mentioning other technologies with potential use in dry-cured ham manufacture which have not been studied enough. Finally, the potential next steps to improve and optimize the process, as well as the suitability of creating new products with added value based on the new quality standards, have also been evaluated. Key findings and conclusions: Innovative non-invasive technologies such as high pressure (HP), ultrasound (US), pulsed electric fields (PEF), microwaves, irradiation, etc. can be used as promising tools to effectively control salting and curing stages as well as for checking defects of the final product and/or ensuring food safety. HP and US are useful tools for the determination of salt and fat content, and for monitoring the salting process. Moreover, HP enhances salty taste perception, which makes it a useful tool to reduce salt addition. Both, HP and US, can correct texture defects. In addition, NIRS allows predicting the state of the meat to remove those pieces that could result in defective products. Moreover, RAMAN or MRI are able to detect anomalous textures at the end of the process. Microwaves could be useful for the online estimation of salt, water and fat contents easily with portable equipment. Finally, data mining, that allows to make predictions based on an immense data file, is the most promising discovery in recent years for detecting defects or classifying products according to sensory attributes., This research was supported by Grant RTA 2013-00030-CO3-03 from INIA (Spain). Acknowledgements to INIA for granting Cristina Pérez Santaescolástica with a predoctoral scholarship (grant number CPD2015-0212). José M. Lorenzo is member of the MARCARNE network, funded by CYTED (ref. 116RT0503).

The aim of this study was to study the effect of Lactobacillus plantarum NJAU-01 selected from the Jinhua ham as starter cultures on the quality of dry-cured fermented sausage. The physicochemical indexes including pH and water activity (Aw), color, texture and sensory properties of dry-cured fermented sausages with different concentrations of L. plantarum NJAU-01 (105 CFU/g, 107 CFU/g and 109 CFU/g) were evaluated during the ripening process. The pH of sausages in LP2 (107 CFU/g) and LP3 (109 CFU/g) groups significantly decreased to lower than 5.0 during ripening. The Aw of all group of sausages dropped to below 0.90 from the third week to the end of ripening. In addition, the color of dry-cured fermented sausages of all groups was significantly affected by ripening time (P 0.05). The results show that L. plantarum NJAU-01 has potential to be a starter culture for the production of dry-cured fermented sausages.

In this study, the influence of Na content of dry-cured beef by partial replacement with KCl, L-lysine, and L-histidine was investigated during processing. Dry-cured beef aged over 57 days, compared to control groups (100% NaCl), salt substituted groups (SS, 39.7% of NaCl, 51.3% of KCl and a blend of 7% L-lysine and 2% L-histidine); had a significant impact on the proteolysis index and total free amino acids, lower activities, and gene levels of cathepsin B and L, as well as reduced contents of protein carbonyls and thiol group. The present study provides a successful strategy for improvement of the perceived saltiness and inhibition of the bitterness, while exhibiting no significant negative effects on color or textural properties.

This study was conducted to compare the physicochemical traits of dry-cured hams made from two different pig breeds: Berkshire and Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc (LYD). Pigs were slaughtered at a live weight of approximately 110 kg and cooled at 0°C for 24 h in a chilling room. Then, the ham portion of the carcasses were cut and processed by dry-curing for physicochemical analyses. The dry-cured hams from Berkshire contain higher crude protein, fat, and ash level than those from LYD, whereas the hams from LYD had higher moisture contents than those from Berkshire(p < 0.05). The pH values of the hams from Berkshire were lower than those from LYD (p < 0.05). The hams from Berkshire had lower L* and b* values than those from LYD (p < 0.05). Palmitoleic acid (C16:1), oleic acid (C18:1), elaidic acid (C18:1t), monounsaturated fatty acids, and ratio of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids (n-6/n-3) in the ham from Berkshire were higher than LYD (p < 0.05). Free amino acids such as aspartic acid, threonine, serine, asparagine, glutamic acid, and lysine in hams from Berkshire were higher than those from LYD (p < 0.05). The microbial population had no significant difference between Berkshire and LYD dry-cured ham. The cross sections of dry cured ham showed difference from different breeds using scanning electron microscope and indicates some differences in texture. Considering the meat quality parameters of ham, hams from Berkshire could provide variety of ham for consumer who are seeking various different qualities and stories.

The high sodium diet is harmful to the human body. In this study, beef was cured with some salt substitutes, namely SS, 39.7% NaCl, 51.3% KCl, 7% L-lysine and 2% L-histidine, in order to reduce the Na content for the final products, and salt substitute effects the physicochemical, lipolytic, and flavor characteristics of dry-cured beef by determining free fatty acids, lipase activity, volatile compounds, and water mobility. The results showed that the lipase activity and unsaturated fatty acids were significantly increased due to the present of L-lysine and L-histidine. In addition, the SS could also enhance the lipoxygenase activity and promoted the lipid oxidation and influenced volatile compounds. The changes of T21 and T22 showed that the water mobility in SS was higher (P < .05) than in the control group. Moreover, the cadaverine, histamine, and tyramine were detected in 57-day dry-cured beef, being below their toxic limits. The present study demonstrated that salt substitute by L-lysine and L-histidine alter the water distribution and mobility, improved the amounts and types of volatile compounds, while had no influence in the quality of product.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) represent an important contaminant group in a variety of food products. Since PAHs are commonly present in meat products, this study aimed to determine PAH content in four types of Croatian dry-cured hams (Dalmatian, Drniš, Krk and Istrian) produced by four different processing methods. Determination and quantification of PAHs were performed by High performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD). Out of 15 investigated PAHs, 13 compounds were detected. The total average benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and PAH4 levels obtained from dry-cured hams ranged from 0.05-0.10 µg/kg and 0.41-0.67 µg/kg, respectively. Even though Krk and Istrian dry-cured ham manufacturing processes do not include the smoking phase, no significant differences were found between investigated dry-cured hams in terms of BaP, PAH4, PAH8 and PAH 15 contents. The presence of detected PAHs in non-smoked dry-cured hams could be a result of the addition of spices in the salting phase. BaP and PAH4 contents found in dry-cured ham samples did not exceed the currently legal levels according to the European legislation.

Dry-cured Iberian ham is officially classified into different commercial categories according to the pig’s breed and feeding regime. These reach very different prices, thus promoting labelling fraud and causing great damage to the food sector. In this work, a method based on Raman spectroscopy was explored as a rapid in situ screening tool for Iberian ham samples. A total of 110 samples were analyzed to assess the potential of this technique to differentiate purebred, crossbred, acorn-fed and feed-fed dry-cured Iberian ham. A continuous signal probably due to sample fluorescence was obtained, which hid the Raman scattering signal. Therefore, chemometric treatment was applied in order to extract non-apparent information. High validated classification rates were obtained for feeding regime (83.3%) and breed (86.7%). In addition, an interlaboratory study was carried out to confirm the applicability of the method with 52 samples, obtaining a validated rate above 80%.

In this study, the effects of potassium lactate (PL, Potassium-L-2-hydroxy-propionate, Potassium-L-Lactate) usage (0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 2.0% PL of curing mixture) in addition to NaCl and sodium nitrite as curing agent on the physico-chemical, microbiological and sensory properties of ready-to-eat pastirma were investigated. The usage of PL affected pastirma properties as pH (P < 0.01), TBARS (P < 0.01), salt (P < 0.01), residual nitrite content (P < 0.01), a* value (P < 0.01), microbial properties (P < 0.01) (total aerobic mesophylic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, Micrococcus/Staphylococcus, yeast-mould count) and amino acid levels [lysine (P < 0.01), isoleucine (P < 0.01), leucine (P < 0.01), methionine (P < 0.05), phenylalanine (P < 0.01), valine (P < 0.05), threonine (P < 0.01), tryptophan (P < 0.05), aspartic acid (P < 0.05), glutamic acid (P < 0.05), asparagine (P < 0.05), serine (P < 0.01), histidine (P < 0.01), glycine (P < 0.01), alanine (P < 0.01), proline (P < 0.01), cystine (P < 0.05) and norvaline (P < 0.01)]. According to results of sensory analysis, the difference among pastirma samples including PL was not significant (P > 0.05)., Ataturk University Research Center [2012/260]; TUBITAK [2211-E], This study was supported by the Ataturk University Research Center as financial (BAP Project Number: 2012/260). Thus, authors would like to thank the Ataturk University in making this study possible and TUBITAK (2211-E) for giving scholarship to Ebru ERDEMIR.

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of NaCl replacement in the physicochemical quality and volatile and sensorial profile of dry-cured deer cecina. Two salt mixtures were used as NaCl substitute: mixture I (30% NaCl-70% KCl) and mixture II (30% NaCl-50% KCl-15% CaCl2-5% MgCl2). Regarding the physicochemical parameters, only ash content, pH and L* values were affected by NaCl replacement. However, lipid oxidation was affected by NaCl replacement. The greatest thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values were observed in the control batch (3.28 mg MDA/kg). The partial replacement of NaCl by salt mixtures affected (p &lt, 0.001) Ca, K, Mg, and Na content. The total amounts of free fatty acids and free amino acids were not affected (p &gt, 0.05) by NaCl replacement. Concerning the volatile compounds, control samples presented the highest concentrations of furans (p &lt, 0.01), while samples produced with mixture II had the lowest (p &lt, 0.001) amounts of esters and acids. Our results indicated that all sensory attributes of the attribute map were affected (generalized procrustes analysis (GPA) explained 100% of the total variability among treatments). Considering the results obtained from the sensorial analysis, only mixture II reduced the overall acceptance and preference of consumers. Control attained significantly (p &lt, 0.05) greater scores of acceptance and preference than mixture II despite the higher TBARS content.

Pastiness is a dry-cured ham defect that can be determined by sensory and chemical analysis. Since pastiness produces an increase of saliva viscosity, rheology might be useful to instrumentally evaluate this defect. The aim of this study was to evaluate the rheological behaviour of water extracts obtained in vitro mimicking the mastication of dry-cured ham samples with different pastiness intensities. Commercial samples from different groups (non-pastiness (NPG), medium pastiness (MPG) and high pastiness (HPG) groups) were sensorially and rheologically analysed. Effect of temperatures and HPP treatments at 7 °C, 20 °C and 35 °C were also evaluated. Results showed that apparent viscosity of the water extracts increased with the increase of pastiness and decreased with temperature. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed between NPG/MPG and HPG samples and between 25 °C and 37 °C in HPG. After HPP, sensory pastiness disappeared in samples from MPG at any temperature and decreased from 6.8 to 0.2 in samples from HPG only when HPP35 was used. Although the increase on viscosity of oral fluid is related to the sensory pastiness, other factors seem to be involved in the mechanism of pastiness perception. Despite this, HPG samples can be distinguished from MPG and NPG samples. info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion

The long-term storage stability of three quality categories of sliced Iberian dry-cured ham defined by the Spanish Iberian Quality Standard (Black, purebred Iberian reared outdoors in Montanera system, Red, Iberian × Duroc crossed (50%) pigs reared outdoors in Montanera system, and White, Iberian × Duroc crossed (50%) pigs commercially fed) and packaged under vacuum and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) was studied. Commercial category affected the shelf life, being Black and Red presented the highest lipid oxidation during storage, whereas the effect of packaging was not as clear as the effect of commercial category. MAP preserved more the colour and the antioxidants content than vacuum packaging, while this latter reduced lipid oxidation development and maintained better the brightness and flavour of slices than MAP.

The “Capocollo di Martina Franca” is a traditional dry-cured pig meat product made in Apulia. The dietary fat source is able to influence the lipid profile of muscle and subcutaneous fat in pork, thus affecting its nutritional and sensorial quality as well as its suitability for technological processing. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of a diet containing extra virgin olive oil (EVOO, 3%, as-fed basis) extracted by ultrasound technology in comparison to refined olive oil (ROO, 3%, as-fed basis) on the quality of pig meat (longissimus lumborum muscle) and capocollo in relation to its storage time after seasoning (t1 = 0 vs. t2 = +6 months). The EVOO diet lowered the concentration of myristic, palmitic, stearic and total saturated fatty acids (SFA) and increased oleic, linoleic, total monounsaturated (MUFAs), polyunsaturated (PUFAs) and n-3 and n-6 fatty acids in pig meat, moreover, the atherogenicity and thrombogenicity indices were lowered, with potential benefits for human health. The overall quality of capocollo was positively affected by the EVOO diet, although storage for 6 months after ripening levelled the protective effects of extra virgin olive oil in comparison with refined olive oil.

The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidant capacity of hydroxytyrosol derived from synthetic (HTs) and organic (HTo) sources, and citrus (C) extract, by incorporating them in a dry-cured meat product: fuet. Firstly, antioxidant extracts were tested in an oxidized pork meat model system, avoiding by 100% the protein oxidation against AAPH and AMVN. After that, four batches of fuet were made, namely Control, HTs, HTo, and C, which incorporated antioxidant extracts as substitutes of synthetic additives. A hundred-day shelf-life study was carried out. The incorporation of phenolic extracts neither affected proximal composition, nor ripening process (airing losses, aw, and pH), nor color development. However, the incorporation of HT increased Fe, Mn, and Si mineral content. At the same time, HT extracts inhibited lipid and protein oxidation and microbiological growth by 50%. Regarding sensory analysis, HTo was the most unpalatable (extract flavor apparition), while HTs and C samples were equally accepted as the Control sample. In addition, HT fuet samples showed two-fold higher antioxidant activity and total phenolic content than the Control sample. In conclusion, the use of HTs in dry-cured sausages was demonstrated to be the best option to the development of clean label meat products, with promising antioxidant properties and the best standards of quality and acceptability.

The processing of dry-cured ham results in the generation of small peptides by the action of endogenous enzymes on muscle proteins. Common proteomic workflows involve previous separation techniques based on liquid chromatography which are expensive and time-consuming. In this study, a convenient proteomic approach based on MALDI-ToF is proposed for the first time for the detection of dipeptides in Spanish dry-cured ham. Dipeptides AH, AL, DD, EV, and VF were identified in hams of 18 and 24 months of dry-curing. This work provides insights on the efficiency of a new peptidomic workflow for the short peptide identification from a complex food matrix and permits to evaluate the sample in terms of the presence of taste-related and bioactive dipeptides., Grant AGL2017-89381-R funded by MCIN/ AEI /10.13039/501100011033 by “ERDF A way of making Europe”,is acknowledged. Grant PRE2018-083367 (A.H.) funded by MCIN/AEI /10.13039/501100011033 and “ESF Investing in your future” and grant RYC-2016-19635 (L.M.) funded by MCIN/AEI /10.13039/501100011033 and “ESF Investing in your future” are also acknowledged. The proteomic analysis was performed in the proteomics facility of SCSIE University of Valencia that belongs to Proteored, PRB3 and is supported by grant PT17/0019, of the PE I+D+i 2013-2016, funded by ISCIII and ERDF.

The aim of this study was to elaborate on the mineral content variability of two dry-cured ham types for better understanding of the contribution of minerals to reference daily intake (RDI). These two ham types were based on Istrian and Dalmatian ham manufacturing process. Significantly higher (P, Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je utvrditi varijabilnost sadržaja minerala u dva tipa pršuta radi boljeg razumijevanja doprinosa minerala preporučenom unosu (PU). Ova dva tipa pršuta temeljila su se na postupku proizvodnje Istarskog i Dalmatinskog pršuta. Značajno veći (P, Das Ziel dieser Studie war es, die Variabilität des Mineralstoffgehalts von zwei luftgetrockneten Rohschinken festzustellen, um den Beitrag der Mineralstoffe zur empfohlenen täglichen Verzehrmenge (RDA) besser zu verstehen. Diese zwei Schinkensorten basieren auf dem Herstellungsprozess von istrischem und dalmatinischem Schinken. Signifikant höhere (P, El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar la variabilidad del contenido mineral en dos tipos de jamón para comprender mejor la contribución de los minerales a la ingesta recomendada (IDR). Estos dos tipos de jamón se basaron en el proceso de producción del jamón de Istria y Dalmacia. Se encontró un contenido significativamente mayor (P, Il presente lavoro di ricerca è stato elaborato con lo scopo di determinare la variabilità del contenuto di minerali in due tipi di prosciutto per meglio comprendere il contributo dei minerali all’assunzione di riferimento (*AR in croato: PU). Questi due tipi di prosciutto si sono basati sul processo produttivo del Prosciutto istriano e del Prosciutto dalmato. Significamente più alto il valore (P

The nonmeat ingredients (NMI) used in the manufacturing of traditional dry-cured sausages (DCS) are red pepper paste, garlic paste, salt, and water. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of NMI and pig natural casings, concerning phys-icochemical and microbiological parameters. The NMI used in the two manufacturing units (A and B) were characterized and the microbiological control of salt and water was performed. Unit B NMI were more stable and of better quality, namely garlic paste (aW A-0.946/B-0.842; moisture A-69.28%/B-60.30%). No psychrotrophic mi-croorganisms, molds, or yeasts were detected in both units. Unit B casings are of better quality (aW B-0.745/A-0.939) with significantly less psychrotrophic microor-ganisms (2.02 log cfu/g) and yeasts in unit B (1.9 log cfu/g). Higher microbiological counts were obtained for salt in unit A. This is the first comprehensive study on the quality and safety of NMI, and pig natural casings used in DCS manufacturing., his work was supported by project PDR2020-1.0.1-FEADER-031373, funded by national funds through Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)/MCTES and co-funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and by project UIDB/05183/2020 (MED) financed by national funds through FCT.

Microenvironmental factors may influence the antioxidant efficacy of food-derived peptides. This study evaluated the in vitro antioxidant properties of peptides released during the ripening (9 to 24 months of processing) of Spanish dry-cured ham (Biceps femoris muscle) assisted by spectral-chromatographic methodologies. Results indicated that 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical-cation (ABTS●+) quenching capacity of peptide extracts significantly increased (P < 0.05) until 24 months whereas peroxyl radical (ROO●) scavenging activity increased slowly and remained with non-significant change (P > 0.05) between 15 and 24 months. However, both ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH●) scavenging ability significantly decreased (P < 0.05) at 24 months. Additionally, morphological traits of peptide extracts suggested that a prolonged ripening enabled the formation/reconstruction of intra-/inter-molecular interactions in dispersion medium. Meta-analysis of chromatographic and spectral fingerprinting proved that the non-conjugated/π-conjugated oligomers mediated by aromatic moieties probably differentiated DPPH● and ABTS●+ antioxidant performance of peptides, showing a potentially altered solvent polarization process., Grant AGL2017-89381-R and FEDER funds from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness, and Ramón y Cajal postdoctoral contract by L.M. are acknowledged. C.L. appreciated the financial support from China Scholarship Council (CSC) through the State Scholarship Fund for Overseas Study (No. 201806760050).

Iberian dry-cured loins from pigs fattened in Montanera are usually subjected to seasonal production, which could be overcome through freezing the loin before the curing process. Hence, three homogeneous batches (n = 15 per batch) were established to evaluate the effect of different pre-freezing cure (&minus, 20 &plusmn, 2 &deg, C) times (three and six months) of raw material on main quality characteristics of dry-cured loins in comparison to those elaborated from unfrozen meat. All samples were subjected to similar seasoning and same curing length to obtain dry-cured loins. Results showed a decrease in lightness, redness, chrome and hue values, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), higher oxidative phenomena, and changes in rheological properties in fresh loins on account on freezing (p &le, 0.05). Some quality parameters of dry-cured loins were affected by freezing, weight loss, and hardness being higher as well as salt content being lower. PUFA and Warner&ndash, Braztler Shear Force (p &le, 0.05) also showed higher values in dry-cured loins from frozen meat than those elaborated from unfrozen counterparts.

The main goal of the present study was evaluating the effect of enriching meat products (cooked (C-SAU) and dry-cured sausages (D-SAU)) with monolayered (Mo) and multilayered (Mu) fish oil microcapsules on the profile of volatile compounds, with special interest in lipid oxidation markers. For that, Solid-Phase Microextraction (SPME) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) were used. Significant differences were found in the volatile compound profile between Mo and Mu, which was been reflected in the meat samples. Thus, in general, volatile compounds from lipid oxidation have shown higher abundance in Mo and C-SAU and D-SAU enriched with this type of microcapsule, indicating that the wall of Mu (chitosan-maltodextrine) might protect the encapsulated bioactive compounds more effectively than that of Mo (maltodextrine). However, this finding is not reflected in the results of previous studies evaluating the sensory perception and oxidation stability of C-SAU and D-SAU, but it should be considered since unhealthy oxidation products can be formed in the enriched meat products with Mo. Thus, the addition of Mu as an omega-3 vehicle for enriching meat products may be indicated.

[EN] Dry-cured ham is a product highly appreciated by consumers, nevertheless, there are a large number of manufacturing process-related parameters, as well as ham intrinsic factors, that compromise its final quality. One of the main problems in the quality of dry-cured ham is the appearance of textural defects, in particular, the development of pastiness. This defect is characterized by an excessive softness and loss of elastic behavior of the ham and when tasted, it provokes a feeling similar to the mouth-coating sensation produced by a flour-water paste during the mastication process. Pastiness also makes slicing difficult and promotes the adhesiveness between slices. Currently, the methods available to measure ham pastiness are time-consuming and destructive. For this reason, the seek of faster and non-destructive technologies capable of detecting pastiness is of great importance. In this sense, different technologies such as near infrared spectroscopy, X-rays or ultrasound, that have been previously tested for the nondestructive characterization of different meat products, could be of interest for the detection of ham pastiness. Different approaches, such as the use of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) or the application of low-temperature long-time thermal treatments (LTLT) at the end of the ham manufacturing, have been previously addressed for the correction of pastiness in dry-cured ham. Notwithstanding, the high cost and the long time required for the HHP and LTLT treatments, respectively, highlights the need for moderate cost and faster alternatives. In this context, the main goals of this thesis were to determine the feasibility of using low intensity ultrasound to non-destructively detect the appearance of pastiness during ham manufacturing and to characterize the level of pastiness in the final product, as well as to explore the feasibility of mild ultrasonic assisted thermal treatments to correct this textural defect. To meet the goal of ham pastiness characterization and correction, a customized drycured ham manufacturing was designed and carried out in order to obtain hams with different levels of pastiness with no remarkable differences on the salt content. During ham manufacturing, the feasibility of using contact ultrasound to monitor the appearance of pastiness was addressed. The ultrasonic velocity was measured in the raw ham, at the end of the salting and post-salting stages, 3 times during the drying-maturation and once the manufacturing was finished. At the end of the manufacturing, the pastiness level (high, medium and no pasty) was also sensory evaluated by an expert panel. As the manufacturing progressed, a progressive increase in the ultrasonic velocity, from 1536 m/s in the raw ham to 1713 m/s in the final dry-cured ham, was found. Notwithstanding, the increase in the ultrasonic velocity was not related with the pastiness defect, probably because the ham texture changes linked to pastiness were masked by the great influence of the compositional changes (salt gain and moisture loss) on the ultrasonic velocity. Therefore, the ultrasonic velocity was not an effective parameter to detect the appearance of pastiness in hams during manufacturing, neither to classify them according to its pastiness level at the end of the manufacturing. Contact ultrasound was also used to monitor the compositional and textural changes taking place along the ham post-salting stage. For this purpose, another batch of hams was salted and post-salting times from 7 to 56 days were tested. During post-salting, the hams were weighted and the ultrasonic velocity was measured every 2 days. Each 7 post-salting days, the composition and the textural properties of a different ham were destructively analyzed. The ham weight loss during the post-salting stage was satisfactorily (r=0.95) described by the increase in the ultrasonic velocity. Moreover, the salt distribution and the moisture loss in the internal parts of the ham were satisfactorily related (r=0.93 and r=0.86, respectively) with the increase in the ultrasonic velocity. The variation in the ham hardness during post-salting was negligible and hence, the velocity increase was mainly attributed to the compositional changes, being barely affected by the changes in texture. The hams obtained after the customized manufacturing were sliced and the ultrasonic velocity and attenuation were measured on the Biceps femoris muscle with the aim of nondestructively finding out its pastiness level. Furthermore, in order to better analyze this textural defect, the composition, protein degradation, instrumental texture and microstructure of the hams were analyzed. Pasty samples presented the highest proteolysis index (38.7% compared to 33.1% for non-pasty hams), exhibited the more relevant structural degradation (merged myofibril structures and appearance of large gaps) and consequently, were the softest (5.4 N of hardness compared to 16.7 N for non-pasty hams) and presented the most intense viscous behavior (0.434 compared to 0.372 for non-pasty hams), although a high degree of experimental variability was found. The non-destructive assessment performed with ultrasound revealed that ultrasonic attenuation could be successfully applied for the grading of dry-cured ham slices according to its pastiness level. Thus, the greater the pastiness, the higher the ultrasonic attenuation, being the average attenuation coefficient for high, medium and no-pasty samples 48.2, 45.4 and 43.1 Np/m, respectively. Notwithstanding, the ultrasonic velocity was similar in all the ham samples, regardless its pastiness level. As observed in whole hams, the ultrasonic velocity was not a satisfactory parameter to detect pastiness in sliced ham, since the large influence of the composition on the ultrasonic velocity added to a similar salt and moisture content of the samples, regardless its pastiness level, led to a similar velocity for the different pastiness levels. Air-coupled ultrasonic techniques in both through-transmission and pulse-echo modes were developed for the characterization of dry-cured ham texture. The non-invasive nature of aircoupled ultrasound allows a contactless measurement, which makes easier its industrial implementation compared to conventional ultrasound techniques for high speed applications without material surface alteration and cross-contamination between food items. As for corrective actions of the texture defects in dry-cured ham, mild thermal treatments in two different heating media (water and air) were evaluated. Furthermore, the feasibility of intensifying these mild thermal treatments with the assistance of power ultrasound was considered. For that purpose, commercial vacuum-packed dry-cured ham slices were heated in a liquid medium, with and without ultrasonic assistance, at different temperatures (40, 45 and 50 ºC), measuring the temperature in the Biceps femoris and in the Semimembranosus muscles. Regarding the treatments in air, commercial vacuum-packed dry-cured ham cylinders were used. In the first set of experiments, ham was heated at a constant air velocity (2 m/s) until different temperatures (40, 45 and 50 ºC) were reached. While in the second set of experiments, ham was treated at constant air temperature (50 ºC) at different air velocities (1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 m/s). In both sets, the treatments were performed with and without power ultrasound application, measuring the temperature in the center of the cylinder. Thermal treatments were extended until a target temperature of 5 ºC lower than the medium (water-air) heating temperature was reached, thus, holding temperature stage did not exist and the treatments only considered the heating one. The heating kinetics of the ham treated in both water and air heating media were mathematically described by means of a heat conduction model. Once the heating finalized, the textural changes of ham (hardness and elastic behavior) were evaluated. The experiments showed that power ultrasound application sped up the heat transfer, significantly (p, [ES] El jamón curado es un producto muy apreciado por los consumidores, sin embargo, existen numerosos parámetros relacionados con el procesado, así como factores intrínsecos del jamón, que comprometen su calidad final. Uno de los principales problemas de calidad del jamón curado es la aparición de defectos de textura, concretamente, el desarrollo de pastosidad. Este defecto se caracteriza por una textura excesivamente blanda y un comportamiento menos elástico del jamón. A nivel sensorial, provoca una sensación de recubrimiento en boca similar a la masticación de una pasta de harina y agua. La pastosidad también dificulta el loncheado y promueve la adhesividad entre lonchas. Actualmente, los métodos disponibles para caracterizar la pastosidad requieren mucho tiempo y son destructivos. Por esta razón, la búsqueda de tecnologías más rápidas y no destructivas capaces de detectar la pastosidad es de gran importancia. En este sentido, distintas tecnologías como espectroscopía de infrarrojo cercano, rayos-X o ultrasonidos, que han sido ensayadas previamente para la caracterización no destructiva de diferentes productos cárnicos, podrían ser de interés para la detección de pastosidad en jamón. Diferentes alternativas, como el uso de altas presiones hidrostáticas (HHP) o la aplicación de tratamientos térmicos de larga duración a baja temperatura (LTLT) al final del proceso de elaboración del jamón, han sido abordadas previamente para la corrección de pastosidad en jamón curado. Sin embargo, el elevado coste y el largo tiempo requerido para los tratamientos HHP y LTLT, respectivamente, pone de manifiesto la necesidad de encontrar alternativas con un coste moderado y más rápidas. En este contexto, los principales objetivos de esta tesis fueron determinar la viabilidad de la utilización de ultrasonidos de baja intensidad para detectar de manera no destructiva la aparición de pastosidad durante el proceso de elaboración de jamón curado y caracterizar el nivel de pastosidad en el producto final, así como explorar la viabilidad de tratamientos térmicos moderados asistidos por ultrasonidos de alta intensidad para corregir dicho defecto de textura. Para cumplir el objetivo de caracterizar y corregir el defecto de pastosidad en jamón, se diseñó y se llevó a cabo un proceso de elaboración para obtener jamones con distintos niveles de pastosidad sin diferencias considerables del contenido en sal. Durante el procesado, se abordó la viabilidad de utilizar ultrasonidos por contacto para monitorizar la aparición de la pastosidad. Así, la velocidad ultrasónica se midió en el jamón fresco, al final de las etapas de salado y postsalado, 3 veces durante el secado-maduración y una vez terminado el proceso de elaboración. Al final del procesado, también se evaluó el nivel de pastosidad (alto, medio y sin pastosidad) en el jamón loncheado por un panel experto. A medida que avanzó el proceso de elaboración, se observó un aumento progresivo de la velocidad ultrasónica, de 1536 m/s en jamón fresco hasta 1713 m/s en jamón curado. Sin embargo, el aumento en la velocidad ultrasónica no se relacionó con el defecto de pastosidad, probablemente porque los cambios de textura del jamón vinculados con la pastosidad fueron enmascarados por la gran influencia de los cambios composicionales (ganancia de sal y pérdida de humedad) en la velocidad ultrasónica. Así, la velocidad ultrasónica no fue un parámetro útil para detectar la aparición de pastosidad en jamón durante su procesado ni para clasificar los jamones según su nivel de pastosidad al final del procesado. Los ultrasonidos por contacto también se utilizaron para monitorizar los cambios composicionales y texturales que tienen lugar a lo largo de la etapa de postsalado del jamón. Para ello, se saló otro lote de jamones y se evaluaron distintos tiempos de postsalado, desde 7 hasta 56 días. Durante el postsalado, los jamones se pesaron y se midió su velocidad ultrasónica cada 2 días. Cada 7 días de postsalado, se analizó destructivamente la composición y las propiedades texturales de un jamón. La pérdida de peso de los jamones durante la etapa de postsalado fue descrita satisfactoriamente (r=0.95) por el aumento de la velocidad ultrasónica. Además, la distribución de sal y la pérdida de humedad en el interior del jamón se relacionaron de forma satisfactoria (r=0.93 y r=0.86, respectivamente) con el aumento de la velocidad ultrasónica. La variación en la dureza del jamón durante el postsalado fue no significativa y, por ello, el aumento de la velocidad ultrasónica se atribuyó principalmente a los cambios de composición, siendo apenas afectada por los cambios de textura. Los jamones obtenidos con distintos niveles de pastosidad después del proceso de elaboración, se cortaron y se midió la velocidad y la atenuación ultrasónica del músculo Biceps femoris con el objetivo de averiguar de forma no destructiva su nivel de pastosidad. Además, con el fin de analizar mejor este defecto de textura, se analizaron el índice de proteólisis, la microestructura, la textura instrumental y la composición de los jamones. Las muestras pastosas presentaron el índice de proteólisis más alto (38.7% comparado con el 33.1% de los jamones no pastosos), mostraron la degradación estructural más relevante (estructuras miofibrilares fusionadas y aparición de grandes huecos) y, en consecuencia, fueron las más blandas (5.4 N de dureza en comparación con los 16.7 N de los jamones no pastosos) y presentaron el comportamiento viscoso más intenso (0.434 comparado con el 0.372 de los jamones no pastosos), aunque se encontró una gran variabilidad experimental. La evaluación no destructiva llevada a cabo mediante ultrasonidos reveló que la atenuación ultrasónica se podría aplicar con éxito para la clasificación de las lonchas de jamón curado según su nivel de pastosidad. Así, cuanto mayor fue la pastosidad, mayor fue la atenuación ultrasónica, siendo el coeficiente de atenuación promedio de las muestras con alta, media y sin pastosidad de 48.2, 45.4 y 43.1 Np/m, respectivamente. Sin embargo, la velocidad ultrasónica fue muy similar en todas las muestras de jamón, independientemente de su nivel de pastosidad. Como se observó en los jamones enteros, la velocidad ultrasónica no fue un parámetro útil para cuantificar el defecto de pastosidad en jamón loncheado, ya que la gran influencia de la composición en la velocidad ultrasónica sumada al contenido similar de sal y humedad de las muestras, independientemente de su nivel de pastosidad, dio lugar a una velocidad similar en todos los niveles de pastosidad. Se desarrollaron dos técnicas de ultrasonidos acoplados por aire, tanto en modo transmisión-recepción como en pulso-eco, para caracterizar la textura de jamón curado. El carácter no invasivo de los ultrasonidos acoplados por aire permite llevar a cabo medidas sin contacto, facilitando su aplicación a nivel industrial en comparación con las técnicas ultrasónicas convencionales, ya que pueden realizarse medidas a mayor velocidad, sin alterar la superficie del material y evitando la contaminación cruzada entre alimentos. En cuanto a las medidas de corrección de defectos texturales en jamón curado, se evaluaron tratamientos térmicos moderados en dos medios de calentamiento diferentes (agua y aire). Además, se consideró la viabilidad de intensificar dichos tratamientos mediante la aplicación de ultrasonidos de alta intensidad (o de potencia). Para ello, se calentaron lonchas de jamón curado comercial envasadas al vacío en medio líquido, con y sin la aplicación de ultrasonidos, a diferentes temperaturas (40, 45 y 50 ºC), midiendo la temperatura en los músculos Biceps femoris y Semimembranosus. Respecto a los tratamientos en aire, se utilizaron cilindros de jamón curado comercial envasado al vacío. En el primer set de experimentos, el jamón se calentó a velocidad de aire constante (2 m/s) a diferentes temperaturas (40, 45 y 50 ºC); mientras que, en el segundo experimento, el jamón se calentó a temperatura de aire constante (50 ºC) a distintas velocidades (1, 2, 3, 4 y 6 m/s). En los dos sets, los tratamientos se llevaron a cabo con y sin la aplicación de ultrasonidos de potencia, midiendo la temperatura en el centro del cilindro. Los tratamientos térmicos se prolongaron hasta alcanzar la temperatura objetivo, definida como 5 ºC por debajo de la temperatura del medio de calentamiento (agua o aire). Así, no se llevó a cabo una fase de mantenimiento de la temperatura y sólo se consideró la fase de calentamiento de los tratamientos térmicos. Las cinéticas de calentamiento del jamón tratado tanto en agua como en aire se describieron matemáticamente considerando que la transferencia de calor estuvo únicamente controlada por conducción. Una vez finalizado el calentamiento, se evaluaron los cambios texturales del jamón (dureza y comportamiento elástico). Los experimentos mostraron que la aplicación de ultrasonidos de potencia aceleró la transferencia de calor, reduciendo significativamente (p, [CA] El pernil curat és un producte molt apreciat pels consumidors, no obstant això, existeixen nombrosos paràmetres relacionats amb el processament, així com factors intrínsecs del pernil, que comprometen la seua qualitat final. Un dels principals problemes de qualitat del pernil curat és l'aparició de defectes de textura, concretament, el desenvolupament de pastositat. Aquest defecte es caracteritza per una excessiva blanor i una pèrdua del comportament elàstic del pernil. A nivell sensorial, provoca una sensació de recobriment en boca similar a la masticació d'una pasta de farina i aigua. La pastositat també dificulta el tallat i promou l'adhesivitat entre rodanxes. Actualment, els mètodes disponibles per a mesurar la pastositat requereixen molt de temps i són destructius. Per aquesta raó, la cerca de tecnologies més ràpides i no destructives capaces de detectar la pastositat és de gran importància. En aquest sentit, diferents tecnologies com espectroscòpia d'infraroig pròxim, raigs-X o ultrasons, que han sigut assajades prèviament per a la caracterització no destructiva de diferents productes carnis, podrien ser d'interés per a la detecció de pastositat en pernil. Diferents alternatives, com l'ús d'altes pressions hidroestàtiques (HHP) o l'aplicació de tractaments tèrmics de llarga duració a baixa temperatura (LTLT) al final del procés d'elaboració del pernil, han sigut abordades prèviament per a la correcció de pastositat en pernil curat. No obstant això, l'elevat cost i el llarg temps requerit per als tractaments HHP i LTLT, respectivament, posa de manifest la necessitat de trobar alternatives amb un cost moderat i més ràpides. En aquest context, els principals objectius d'aquesta tesi van ser determinar la viabilitat de la utilització dels ultrasons de baixa intensità per a detectar de manera no destructiva l'aparició de pastositat durant el procés d’elaboració de pernil curat i caracteritzar el nivell de pastositat en el producte final, així com explorar la viabilitat de tractaments tèrmics moderats assistits per ultrasons d’alta intensitat per a corregir aquest defecte de textura. Per a complir l'objectiu de caracteritzar i corregir el defecte de pastositat en pernil, es va dissenyar i es va dur a terme un procés d'elaboració configurat per a obtindre pernils amb diferents nivells de pastositat sense diferències considerables del contingut en sal. Durant el processament, es va abordar la viabilitat d'utilitzar ultrasons per contacte per a monitorar l'aparició de pastositat. La velocitat ultrasònica es va mesurar en el pernil fresc, al final de les etapes de salat i postsalat, 3 vegades durant l'assecat-maduració i una vegada acabat el procés d'elaboració. Al final del processament, el nivell de pastositat (alta, mitjana i sense pastositat) també es va avaluar per un panell expert. A mesura que va avançar el procés d'elaboració, es va trobar un augment progressiu de la velocitat ultrasònica, anant des de 1536 m/s en pernil fresc fins a 1713 m/s en pernil curat. No obstant això, l'augment en la velocitat ultrasònica no es va relacionar amb el defecte de pastositat, probablement perquè els canvis de textura del pernil vinculats amb la pastositat van ser emmascarats per la gran influència dels canvis composicionals (guany de sal i pèrdua d'humitat) en la velocitat ultrasònica. Així, la velocitat ultrasònica no va ser un paràmetre efectiu per a detectar l'aparició de pastositat en pernil durant el seu processament ni per a classificar els pernils segons el seu nivell de pastositat al final del processament. Els ultrasons per contacte també es van utilitzar per a monitorar els canvis composicionals i texturals que tenen lloc al llarg de l'etapa de postsalat del pernil. Per a això, es va salar un altre lot de pernils i es van avaluar diferents temps de postsalat, des de 7 fins a 56 dies. Durant el postsalat, els pernils es van pesar i es va mesurar la seua velocitat ultrasònica cada 2 dies. Cada 7 dies de postsalat, es van analitzar destructivament la composició i les propietats texturals d'un pernil diferent. La pèrdua de pes dels pernils durant l'etapa de postsalat va ser descrita satisfactòriament (r=0.95) per l'augment de la velocitat ultrasònica. A més, la distribució de sal i la pèrdua d'humitat a l'interior del pernil es van relacionar de manera satisfactòria (r=0.93 i r=0.86, respectivament) amb l'augment de la velocitat ultrasònica. La variació en la duresa del pernil durant el postsalat va ser mínima i, per això, l'augment de la velocitat ultrasònica es va atribuir principalment als canvis de composició, sent a penes afectada pels canvis de textura. Els pernils obtinguts després del procés d'elaboració configurat per a obtindre pernils amb diferents nivells de pastositat, es van tallar i es va mesurar la velocitat i l'atenuació ultrasònica del múscul Biceps femoris amb l'objectiu d'esbrinar de forma no destructiva el seu nivell de pastositat. A més, amb la finalitat d'analitzar millor aquest defecte de textura, es van analitzar la composició, la degradació proteica, la textura instrumental i la microestructura dels pernils. Les mostres pastoses van presentar l'índex de proteòlisis més alt (38.7% comparat amb el 33.1% dels pernils no pastosos), van mostrar la degradació estructural més rellevant (estructures miofibrilars fusionades i aparició de grans buits) i, en conseqüència, van ser les més blanes (5.4 N de duresa en comparació amb els 16.7 N dels pernils no pastosos) i van presentar el comportament viscós més intens (0.434 comparat amb el 0.372 dels pernils no pastosos), encara que es va trobar una gran variabilitat experimental. L'avaluació no destructiva duta a terme mitjançant ultrasons va revelar que l'atenuació ultrasònica es podria aplicar amb èxit per a la classificació de les rodanxes de pernil curat segons el seu nivell de pastositat. Així, com més gran va ser la pastositat, major va ser l'atenuació ultrasònica, sent el coeficient d'atenuació mitjà de les mostres amb alta, mitjana i sense pastositat 48.2, 45.4 i 43.1 Np/m, respectivament. No obstant això, la velocitat ultrasònica va ser molt similar en totes les mostres de pernil, independentment del seu nivell de pastositat. Com es va observar en els pernils sencers, la velocitat ultrasònica no va ser un paràmetre satisfactori per a detectar el defecte de pastositat en pernil tallat a rodanxes, ja que la gran influència de la composició en la velocitat ultrasònica sumada al contingut similar de sal i humitat de les mostres, independentment del seu nivell de pastositat, va donar lloc a una velocitat similar en tots els nivells de pastositat. Es van desenvolupar dues tècniques d'ultrasons acoblats per aire, tant en manera transmissió-recepció com en pols-eco, per a caracteritzar la textura de pernil curat. El caràcter no invasiu dels ultrasons acoblats per aire permet dur a terme mesures sense contacte, facilitant la seua aplicació a nivell industrial en comparació amb les tècniques ultrasòniques convencionals, ja que poden realitzar-se mesures a major velocitat, sense alterar la superfície del material i evitant la contaminació creuada entre aliments. Quant a les mesures de correcció de defectes texturals en pernil curat, es van avaluar tractaments tèrmics moderats en dos medis de calfament diferents (aigua i aire). A més, es va considerar la viabilitat d'intensificar aquests tractaments mitjançant l'aplicació d'ultrasons de potència. Per a això, es van calfar rodanxes de pernil curat comercial envasades al buit en medi líquid, amb i sense l'aplicació d'ultrasons, a diferents temperatures (40, 45 i 50 °C), mesurant la temperatura en els músculs Biceps femoris i Semimembranosus. Respecte als tractaments en aire, es van utilitzar cilindres de pernil curat comercial envasat al buit. En el primer set d'experiments, el pernil es va calfar a velocitat d'aire constant (2 m/s) fins que es van aconseguir diferents temperatures (40, 45 i 50 °C). Mentre que, en el segon, el pernil es va calfar a temperatura d'aire constant (50 °C) a diferents velocitats (1, 2, 3, 4 i 6 m/s). En els dos sets, els tractaments es van dur a terme amb i sense l'aplicació d'ultrasons de potència, mesurant la temperatura en el centre del cilindre. Els tractaments tèrmics es van prolongar fins a aconseguir la temperatura objectiu, definida 5 °C per davall de la temperatura del medi de calfament (aigua o aire); així, no es va dur a terme una fase de manteniment de la temperatura i només es va considerar la fase de calfament dels tractaments tèrmics. Les cinètiques de calfament del pernil tractat tant en aigua com en aire es van descriure matemàticament mitjançant un model de conducció de calor. Una vegada finalitzat el calfament, es van avaluar els canvis texturals del pernil (duresa i comportament elàstic). Els experiments van mostrar que l'aplicació d'ultrasons de potència va accelerar la transferència de calor, reduint significativament (p, Gracias a la Universitat Politècnica de València por concederme la beca para realizar mis estudios de doctorado, así como a los proyectos de investigación en los que he participado (RTA2013-00030-C03-02 y RTA2017-00024-C04-03)

The end of the elaboration process of dry-cured ham is currently decided by product weight loss and/or by an expert who carries out an evaluation of the tactile texture on the surface. The objective of this study was to define the optimal measurement conditions of an instrumental texture analysis on the surface of the dry-cured ham (ITAS), to define the end of process. 120 dry-cured hams were classified by experts into Hard (appropriate) or Soft (non-appropriate) texture groups and used to perform compression tests using different probes on three anatomical positions. Results showed that the small probe in position 2 gave the most discriminant conditions, providing representative information of the internal texture. Although classification using only weight loss was possible with an accuracy rate of 80.4 % or 66.7% depending on the weight loss, the maximum classification accuracy was obtained when using ITAS in combination with weight loss. Further studies at industrial level are needed. info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion

The aim of this work is to analyse the intramuscular fatty acids and the free amino (FAA) acids in Chato murciano dry-cured ham. There are several Mediterranean native pig breeds whose characteristics of derived products have been described, but the impact of lipolysis and proteolysis on Chato murciano dry-cured ham has not yet been studied. Fatty acids and free amino acids were determined in the fresh piece and at 14, 18, 22 and 24 months of manufacturing. Monounsaturated fatty acids are the majority in the neutral lipids and free fatty acid fractions. Lipolysis took place mainly until the 18th month, resulting in a decrease in the levels of fatty acids of neutral lipids (from 95.43% to 83.38%) and polar lipids (from 2.57% to 0.41%), accompanied by a corresponding increase in free fatty acids (from 2% to 16.21%). Neutral lipids hydrolysis provides the main free fatty acids as in other native breeds. Results for FAA showed an increase in concentration during the time preceding the 14th month. From this point onwards, until month 18, total FAA concentration remained stable, and the content decreased at the end of the processing (between months 22 and 24). Ciencias de la Alimentación

The aim of the study was to investigate the combined effect of the manufacturing process followed by HPP treatment on the inactivation of Salmonella spp. in artificially contaminated coppa samples, in order to verify the ability of the combined processes to achieve the objective of a 5-log reduction of Salmonella spp. needed for exportation to the U.S. Fresh anatomical cuts intended for coppa production were supplied by four different delicatessen factories located in Northern Italy. Raw meat underwent experimental contamination with Salmonella spp. using a mixture of 3 strains. Surface contamination of the fresh anatomical cuts was carried out by immersion into inoculum containing Salmonella spp. The conditions of the HPP treatment were: pressure 593 MPa, time 290 seconds, water treatment temperature 14°C. Surface and deep samples were performed post contamination (T0), end of the cold phase (T1), end of process (Tend), and after HPP treatment (postHPP) and Salmonella spp. Enumerated. The results of this study show a significant reduction of Salmonella spp. all through the production process (P

Listeria monocytogenes population and the expression patterns of three virulence (plcA, hly, and iap) and one stress-related (sigB) genes in dry-cured ham with different water activity (aw) values (0.92, 0.88, and 0.84) and treated with high pressure processing (HPP, 450 MPa/10 min and 600 MPa/5 min) were monitored throughout 30 days (d) at 4 &deg, C. The antimicrobial effect of HPP at 600 MPa against L. monocytogenes S4-2 (serotype 1/2b) and S12-1 (serotype 1/2c) was greater in dry-cured ham with aw values of 0.92, with reductions of 2.5 and 2.8 log units, respectively. The efficacy of HPP treatments decreased at lower aw values. Regarding gene expression, L. monocytogenes strains responded differently to HPP. For strain S4-2, the four target genes were generally overexpressed in dry-cured ham immediately after HPP treatments at the three aw values investigated, although the extent of this induction was lower in the samples pressurized at 600 MPa and with aw values of 0.84. For strain S12-1, the expression of all target genes was repressed at the three aw values investigated. The antimicrobial efficacy of HPP against L. monocytogenes could be compromised by low aw values in food products. However, no growth of HPP-survival cells was observed during refrigerated storage in low-aw dry-cured ham, and the overexpression of virulence and stress-related genes decreased.

The purpose was to investigate the quality characteristics of dry-cured beef with different storage times under a high-voltage electrostatic field (HVEF) condition. The pH, moisture content, meat color, and volatile compounds of dry-cured beef samples treated with HVEF (3 kV) were compared with those of a common refrigerator (CON) at days 0, 3, 7, 10, and 14. The results showed that, compared with CON group, the decline rates of the pH and moisture content of beef and ∆E values were lower under HVEF storage condition. From the fingerprints, the 42 volatile compounds identified were mainly aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, and esters. The benzaldehyde, trimethyl pyrazine, and maltol contents in the HVEF group exhibited a dramatic increase after 10 days of storage. Principal component analysis revealed clustering of compound classes, distributed in a separate time. Based on the above findings, we concluded that HVEF treatment could promote color stability and enhance characteristic flavor during the storage of dry-cured beef. These results suggested that HVEF might be applicable for dry-cured meat storage techniques.

Dry-cured ham is a shelf-stable product that can be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes due to post-processing operations, compromising the compliance of zero tolerance policies (e.g. US Listeria rule). The present study quantifies the behavior of L. monocytogenes in sliced Spanish dry-cured ham of different water activity (aw) during storage at different temperatures. Inactivation kinetics were estimated by fitting primary models to the experimental data. The effect of temperature and aw on kinetic parameters was characterized through secondary polynomial models. L. monocytogenes viability decreased in all the assayed conditions, confirming that dry-cured ham is not only listeriostatic but listericidal. The fastest and highest reductions were observed at 25 °C, with 1 Log reduction after 6 and 9 days in Iberian and Serrano ham respectively. The work provides scientifically-based data and models to design a low-cost control measure based on a corrective storage as a post-lethality treatment to enhance the accomplishment of zero-tolerance requirements. info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion

Peptidyl post-translational modifications (PTMs) could influence the final quality of processed meat. In this study, the peptide oxidative phenomena in Spanish dry-cured ham (Biceps femoris muscle) was evaluated at different ripening times (9, 12, 15, 18 and 24 months of processing) evidencing interactions amongst the lipid and protein oxidation, major peptidyl PTMs and the release of free amino acids (FAAs). Results showed that 12 months of processing enabled the most abundant protein-bound carbonyls, while TBARS value was significantly favored (p < 0.001) by ripening. However, FAAs were still intensively generated during overall ripening. Peptidomics and chemometrics further revealed that proteolysis mostly hampered the oxidized peptides rather than the deamidated ones during ripening. Myosin light chain (MYL1 and MYL3) showed high oxidative susceptibility owing to peptidyl methionine and proline oxidation as well as acetaldehyde adduct formation on lysine or histidine residues., Grant AGL2017-89381-R and FEDER funds from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness, and Ramón y Cajal postdoctoral contract by L.M. are acknowledged. C.L. appreciated the financial support from China Scholarship Council (CSC) through the State Scholarship Fund for Overseas Study (No. 201806760050). The peptidomic analysis was performed in the proteomics facility of SCSIE University of Valencia. This proteomics laboratory is a member of Proteored, PRB3 and is supported by grant PT17/0019, of the PE I + D + i 2013-2016, funded by ISCIII and ERDF

The manufacturing of dry-cured meat products usually includes a smoking step. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are potentially carcinogenic chemical compounds that may result from smoking. The aim of the present study was to optimize the smoking regime of traditional dry-cured meat products in order to minimize the presence of PAHs. Dry-cured sausages were submitted to different smoking regimes: (A) no smoking, (B) 20 h effective smoking, (C) 60 h effective smoking, (D) effective smoking until reaching 38%&ndash, 40% weight losses. Three independent batches were produced per smoking regime, and three samples per batch were analyzed. Microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory analyses were performed. The total PAHs content was generally low and did not differ significantly in meat products submitted to the four different smoking regimes. The PAH4 and benzo(&alpha, )pyrene levels were below the established legal limits in all analyzed dry-cured sausages. Nevertheless, non-smoked sausages always showed lower PAHs values for all PAHs groups.

Sliced dry-cured ham arranged in ready-to-eat packages is a convenient and widely consumed commodity characterised by heterogeneity in composition not only among different industrial batches but also through their horizontal and vertical profiles, making precise nutrition labelling of the packages a difficult task. Hyperspectral imaging techniques can serve as a steadfast solution not only to predict the overall composition of the major constituents of dry-cured ham but also to visualise their distributions. The main aim of this study was to define the optimal protocol for pretreating hyperspectral images and selecting representative hyperspectral data for developing accurate predictive models in excessively heterogeneous samples, using sliced dry-cured ham as a case study. Hyperspectral images (400–1000 nm) were acquired for heterogeneous sliced dry-cured ham and homogeneous unsliced dry-cured muscles. Partial least squares (PLS) regression models to predict fat, water, salt and protein contents were developed and tested in an independent dataset. The PLS predictive models developed from the whole surface of sliced dry-cured ham were the most accurate ones for predicting fat, water, salt and protein contents with a determination coefficient in prediction () of 0.89, 0.85, 83 and 0.63 and standard error in prediction (SEP) of 1.43, 1.21, 0.51 and 1.57%, respectively. The chemical images resulting from the models gave advantages of hyperspectral imaging technique over traditional chemical methods to visualise the spatial distribution of different constituents within the packaged ham slices. info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion

Pastiness is a textural defect characterized by an excessive softness and loss of elasticity which lacks corrective actions at industrial level. The objective of this study was to evaluate the textural and microstructural changes of dry-cured pork ham, with different pastiness levels, subjected to conventional and ultrasonically-assisted corrective mild thermal treatments. Pastiness was assessed by an expert sensory panel and hams were classified into three categories: high (HP), medium (MP) and no (NP) pastiness. Ham samples (n = 108) were heated (40 and 50 °C) with power ultrasound (PuS) and without (CV) PuS application. After heating, all of the textural parameters assessed were improved. Hardness increased by 102% and adhesiveness decreased by 55% and the ham became less viscoelastic. The largest modifications were found in the samples heated at 50 °C and no differences were found between CV and PuS treatments. The microstructure of pasty samples revealed that the treatment produced a shrinkage of the myofibrils, which could explain the increase in hardness and the improvement in texture of defective ham. info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion

Dry cured loins containing nitrogen (proline and ornithine) and sulfur (thiamine) compounds as precursors of aroma compounds at two concentration levels were manufactured. The effect of precursor addition on the microbiology and chemical parameters of loins was studied together with the aroma study performed by olfactometry and Free Choice Profile sensory analyses. Addition of precursors did not affect the microbial and chemical parameters, while aroma was affected when precursors were added at the highest level. The dry loin aroma profile was mainly composed by compounds 3-methylbutanal, methional, ethyl 3-methylbutanoate, 3-methylbutanoic acid, 1-octen-3-ol, 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline and 2-acetylpyrrole that contribute to musty, cooked potatoes, fruity, cheesy, mushroom, roasted and meaty odor notes. Proline and ornithine supplementation modified the loins aroma profile producing toasted odors, while the effect of thiamine supplementation on the aroma was revealed by the presence of sulfur derived compounds (methional and 2-methyl-3-(methylthio)furan) that contribute to the “cured meat odor”., Financial support from grant RTI2018-098074-B-I00 founded by MCIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and, by “ERDF A way of making Europe”, and the financial support to Lei Li from Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy in China.

The use of high pressure processing (HPP) for the treatment of dry-cured ham and other meat products has considerably increased worldwide. Its well-documented lethal effect on pathogenic and spoilage bacteria ensures the microbial safety of dry-cured ham and extends its shelf life. However, the effects of HPP on the volatile compounds, odor and aroma of dry-cured ham are less known. In the present review, the effects of HPP on the enzymes and microorganisms responsible for the generation of volatile compounds in dry-cured ham and the changes in the levels of the main groups of volatile compounds resulting from different HPP treatments are discussed. Particular attention is devoted to the fate of odor-active compounds after HPP treatments and throughout further commercial storage. The use of efficient sensory techniques yielding odor and aroma outputs closer to those perceived by consumers is encouraged. Needs for future research on the volatile compounds, odor and aroma of HPP-treated dry-cured ham are highlighted., The authors wish to thank Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation for funding projects RTA2010-00029-C04-04 and AGL2014-51742-REDC (PROCARSE).

The influence of frozen storage of dry-cured loin before its processing has been evaluated in terms of proteolysis, pH, dry matter (DM), NaCl and sensorial acceptance. The frozen storage did not affect total nitrogen (TN), non-protein nitrogen (NPN), or proteolysis index (PI), showing values at day 50 of 1.14 and 1.11 g nitrogen/kg of DM; 0.093 and 0.091 g nitrogen/kg of DM and 8.2–8.2, in refrigerated (R) and pre-cure frozen (PF), respectively. Initially, PF loin values of DM were higher (2.91 g/kg of dry-cured loin) than R (2.71 g/kg of dry-cured loin). NaCl content of PF loin was higher than R throughout the processing (1.15 and 1.38 g/kg of DM at day 50, respectively). The total amino acid ((TFAA) concentration was higher in PF than in R, with the major differences at day 50 (27.5 and 19.9 g/kg, respectively). The concentration of all free amino acids (FAA) was affected by the freeze-thaw process. From day 30 onwards, the concentration of FAA increased in PF to such an extent that after 50 days significantly higher values were observed for all FAA except arginine, methionine and valine. There were no differences in consumer acceptance between R and PF dry-cured loin.