DEVELOPMENT OF CATHEPSIN-B, CATHEPSIN-L AND CATHEPSIN-H ACTIVITIES AND CYSTATIN-LIKE ACTIVITY DURING 2 DIFFERENT MANUFACTURING PROCESSES FOR SPANISH DRY-CURED HAM

Dry-cured ham is a high-quality meat: product, and interest in the stu dy of the different technological and biochemical parameters involved in its manufacture is high. Lysosomal cysteine proteinase activity and cystatin-like activity were determined in the Semimembranosus and Bic eps femoris muscles during two ham-manufacturing processes of differen t length, and dependence of these activities on curing time was found. Results also showed that cathepsin L lost its activity more rapidly t han cathepsin B and that the contribution of cathepsin H to the proteo lysis produced in these curings was very low. Cystatin-like activity d ecreased in both processes, although the ratio between proteinase acti vity and cystatin-like activity depended on the length of the curing p rocess.