Sensory and Texture Quality of Dry-Cured Ham as Affected by Endogenous Cathepsin B Activity and Muscle Composition

Hams were processed with standard cure adjuncts under two drying temperatures and analyzed after aging for 7 mo. Dried hams revealed that flavor and texture traits were affected by moisture and nonprotein nitrogen (NPN) content and that NPN was enhanced by greater cathepsin B activity, lower salt levels and higher temperature. Two major defects of dry-cured ham, mushy mouthfeel and surface white film, occurred in about 15% of samples. Most of these hams had abnormal NPN values and were shown to originate from meat with high enzyme activity and low protein content. We concluded that this type of meat is prone to uncontrolled proteolysis and related undesired traits, and to be a potential hazard in dry-cured hams cured with less salt.