EFFECT OF PROCESSING CONDITIONS ON PROTEOLYSIS AND TASTE OF DRY-CUREDSAUSAGES

This paper deals with the influence of industrial practices such as us e of starters (Lactobacillus sake and Staphylococcus car carnosus), pr eripening (3 days at 5 degrees C) and drying temperatures (8 and 16 de grees C) on proteolysis, ammonia production and the taste of ''salchic hon'', a traditional Spanish dry-cured sausage lacking surface mould. pH dropped more sharply in the presence of a starter and at a high dry ing temperature (16 degrees C); preripening did not affect the pH. The highest value for non-protein nitrogen (NPN), 16% of total nitrogen, was observed to occur in samples with the lowest pH (4.7-4.8). Total v olatile basic nitrogen (TVBN) increased during drying due to the deami nase activity of internal microbial flora, which was not great (0.5-1. 0% of total nitrogen) enough to affect the pH, and significantly in sa mples showing a larger decrease of pH. The greater proteolysis in samp les with starter did not affect the assessors' taste preference. Asses sors clearly preferred those samples without starter that were dried a t low temperature (8 degrees C); however, samples with starter showed excellent commercial appearance since they dried more homogeneously. A n equilibrium point must be found between acid production and taste.