Pre-freezing Hams Affects Lipolysis during Dry-curing

An initial freezing/thawing treatment of raw hams prior to dry-curing was compared to the standard process (refrigerated hams) by assaying free fatty acid generation and carbonyl index in both biceps femoris muscle and adipose tissues throughout curing. More intense lipolysis occurred between 0 and 5 mo for muscle, and 0 and 10 mo for adipose tissue. Lipid oxidation in adipose tissue was higher than in muscle. No significant differences (p<0.05) were observed in lipolysis between refrigerated and frozen/thawed hams at the end of the process. Ham sensory evaluation after 15 mo showed that initial freezing/thawing treatment did not affect final sensory quality except for a more salty taste.