THE EFFECT OF GREEN HAM PH AND NACL CONCENTRATION ON CATHEPSIN ACTIVITIES AND THE SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS OF DRY-CURED HAMS

There is a tendency to reduce the amount of NaCl in the manufacturing process of Spanish dry-cured ham. NaCl, pH and temperature determine t he stability of this product. This study was concerned with the evalua tion of green ham pH and sodium chloride concentration on cathepsin ac tivities, physico-chemical parameters and sensory characteristics of d ry-cured hams. Two different amounts of salt (55 and 80 g kg(-1)) and two different pH levels (pH at 24 h post mortem <5.8; pH at 24 h post mortem >6.2) were used. Physicochemical composition, cathepsin activit y and a number of sensory parameters were evaluated. Hams with high pH displayed lower cathepsin activity, NPN, saltiness and hardness where as the levels of brightness, crumbliness, pastiness and adhesivity wer e found to be higher than in normal hams. A high level of salt produce d greater cathepsin B and B + L activity and lower pastiness and adhes ivity than the samples with a low NaCl level. (C) 1998 SCI.