Influence of high pressure application on the nutritional, sensory and microbiological characteristics of sliced skin vacuum packed dry-cured ham. Effects along the storage period

The effect of high pressure processing at 600 MPa on sliced and vacuum packaged commercial dry-cured ham was determined by analyzing the induced color changes, the physicochemical characteristics, the microbiological count and the changes in sensory attributes and also its effect on lipid oxidation measured through TBARS (thiobarbituric reactive substances), antioxidant enzyme activities and the content of fatty acid from total, free and phospholipid fractions. This effect was also studied during 50 days refrigerated storage with different light conditions. The high pressure processing at 600 MPa modified the color of dry-cured ham producing an increase in lightness L*-parameter. Many sensory attributes were also modified resulting in an increase in hardness, chewiness, brightness, odor intensity and saltiness, while reducing color intensity. High pressure produced a reduction in the aerobic count. The oxidative stability of the pressurized dry-cured ham was not altered as observed from the absence of differences in fatty acid contents and antioxidant enzyme activities. Initially pressurization produced a decrease in TBARS levels, however this effect was not found after 50 days of refrigerated storage.

Industrial relevance

The application of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) in food technology is a useful tool to combine a minimal processing that increases the shelf-life of the food products, maintaining their safety and nutritional properties and with minimal changes in flavor or taste. This processing technology is very important to increase the safety of the sliced foods which are prone to the microbiological deterioration, as cured meat products and cooked ham. Pressurization of sliced dry-cured ham at 600 MPa has been shown effective reducing spoilage associated microorganisms. The present study was carried out to evaluate the oxidative stability, nutritional quality, safety and sensory attributes of dry-cured ham pressurized at 600 MPa. This is very important because the hypothesis that HHP does not affect to sensorial characteristics needs to be confirmed in different kind of foods. Also, the possible causes of the observed effects should be explained by the study of physic–chemical parameters. In this way the oxidative stability is an important issue because some authors claimed that HHP can increase oxidation in food containing lipids.