Effect of air relative humidity on ham rind and subcutaneous salted fat during the resting period

This study evaluated the effect of different air relative humidities (RH) o n the nature and structure of the rind of dry-cured ham and of salted subcu taneous fat. After salting 16 hams were stored for 40 days at 4 degreesC, a nd at two different RHs (50-55 and 80-85%). Salted subcutaneous fat samples were stored for 30 days at 15 degreesC and at different RH (57.7, 70.8, 75 .3 and 80.0%). Storage of hams at 50-55% RH after salting produced a whiten ess on some parts of the rind, due to precipitation of salt inside the rind . Fat samples stored at 80.0% RH showed no oil drip and the fat cells obser ved microscopically were similar to non-salted cells. In contrast, fat samp les stored at 57.7 and 70.8% RH showed oil drip and the fat cells from the external layer showed a wrinkled aspect in the optical microscope. Samples stored at 75.3% RH showed only a slight oil drip at the edges. (C) 2001 pub lished by Elsevier Science Ltd.