EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT SALT CONTENTS ON SOME QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS DURING PROCESSING OF DRY‐CURED TURKISH PASTIRMA

ABSTRACT

This study examined the effects of different salt contents (3, 6 and 9%) during process stages on physicochemical, lipid oxidation and microbial quality of a dry‐cured meat product, past?rma, throughout 21 days of processing. Significant changes in moisture content, NaCl content, pH and water activity (a_w) were observed in past?rma after the third drying and pasting stages. There were significant decreases (P < 0.05) in objective color characteristics (L*, a* and b*) between raw material and final product for all past?rma samples. However, no significant effect of salt level (P > 0.05) was detected on L* and a*. Salt level significantly (P < 0.05) affected thiobarbituric acid‐reactive substances (TBARS) formation, which was lower in low‐salt past?rma samples, while the combination of salting, drying and pressing stages increased TBARS values in high‐salt past?rma samples. Higher salt content (6% and 9%) and last drying resulted in reduction of microbial count.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Salt (NaCl) is an important agent in inhibiting microbial growth, reducing water activity and imparting a salty taste to dry‐cured meat products such as ham and past?rma. Salt content in past?rma varies from 5% to 10% in the final product and has an impact on product quality parameters. The effects of different NaCl contents (3, 6 and 9%) and processing stages on pH, water activity (a_w), color parameters, lipid oxidation and microbial count were studied during processing of past?rma. Low‐salt concentration had some negative impacts on past?rma characteristics, giving high a_w, pH and microbial count, but low Thiobarbituric acid‐reactive substances value and NaCl content. Drying, pressing and pasting with çemen mixture during past?rma processing had a positive impact on reduction of moisture, a_w and microbial count.