Changes in intramuscular lipids during ripening of Iberian dry-cured ham

Thirty-one thighs were obtained from Iberian pigs fattened with scorns and were processed during 22 months in the traditional dry-curing process. Lipo lysis affecting intramuscular fat during the processing of Iberian dry-cure d ham has been analyzed by studying the changes of glycerides, phospholipid s and free fatty acids in lipids from Biceps femoris muscle. Little change affected the fatty acid composition of glycerides during processing. A doub le-phased increase in the acidity values and a decrease in the quantity of fatty acids of phospholipids during the processing were observed. There see ms to be a relationship between the extension of the lipolysis taking place during the maturing and the processing conditions and raw material used. ( C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.