EVALUATION OF RESTRUCTURED LOW-FAT HAM CONTAINING WHEY

Restructured, low-fat boneless ham was formulated with 0 (control samp les), 20 and 30% liquid whey to replace water in the cure formulation. Sensory characteristics, visual traits, objective color, tenderness m easurements, weight and cooking loss, proximate analysis, and microbia l load were determined to compare this product with that from a conven tional cure formulation. No differences (P > 0.05) in traits (except p ercentage moisture) were found among samples with 0 20 and 30% liquid whey in the formulated hams. A lower (P < 0.05) moisture content among samples with 30% of this adjunct when compared to the controls war; o bserved However, samples with 20% liquid whey addition did not differ (P > 0.05) from those with 0 and 30%. These results suggest that up to 30% liquid whey may be incorporated in a cured, low-fat ham formulati on with similar results to products cured with a conventional formulat ion.