Lipid degradation and sensory characteristics of M. biceps femoris in dry-cured hams from Duroc using three different processing methods

Hams from Norwegian Duroc pigs, reared and fed identically, were dry-cured using three different processing methods: Spanish Serrano (SS), Norwegian Parma-style (PS) and deboning before curing (ND). The fatty acid compositions of the green and dry-cured hams were analysed in terms of their neutral lipid, phospholipid and free fatty acid contents and correlated with sensory attributes. Although the three dry-curing processes were quite different, the hams′ lipid profiles, lipid degradation patterns and lipid-associated sensorial characteristics differed only slightly. The phospholipids were the most extensively degraded lipid class (88, 89% and 84% degradation in PS, SS and ND hams, respectively) for all processing methods. The SS and PS hams had slightly riper sensory profiles due to their extensive conversion of fatty acids into aroma components. The free fatty acid contents of PS, SS and ND hams were 6.3, 6.2 and 7.5 times greater than those of green hams, respectively.