Acceptability of canned ham of differing water content

The eating quality of canned hams made with water contents covering the range of the current commercial products was compared using laboratory panels. It was established that polyphosphate added up to 0.8% had no effect upon flavour and that scores for tenderness and juiciness increased with increasing water content. The importance of these differences to the consumer was tested by submitting canned pasteurised hams containing up to 27% ‘added water’ to a 715 member consumer panel. The panel identified increases in tenderness and juiciness but neither had much effect upon the average acceptability of the food. About 10% of the consumers preferred the material of highest water content.