FREE FATTY-ACIDS DURING THE RIPENING OF IBERIAN HAM

The degree of acidity, triglycerides and free fatty acids were determi ned in Biceps femoris muscle of dry cured ham in different stages of p rocessing. An increase of acidity was observed during ripening in Bice ps femoris (6.74% oleic acid). More than 50% of the triglycerides stud ied were hydrolyzed, mainly during the first five months of ripening. In the cellar stage a lower decrease of triglycerides was observed. Ho wever, the increase of fatty acids was continuous during ripening. Thi s could mean that, in the last stages, they might have come from phosp holipids as well as from mono- and diglycerides.