EFFECT OF SALTING DURATION ON THE RHEOLOGICAL, CHEMICAL AND SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS OF DRY HAM

V poskusu smo ugotovljali vpliv skrajšanega soljenja na izgube med predelavo, kemično sestavo ter reološke in senzorične lastnosti pršuta. Stegna sedmih imunokastratov (n = 14) smo razdelili v dve skupini, jih nasolili za 6 (skrajšano soljenje) oziroma 18 (klasično soljenje) dni in predelali po standardnem postopku za kraški pršut. Med predelavo smo spremljali izgubo teže, na zrelih pršutih pa smo opravili kemično, senzorično in reološko analizo. Trajanje soljenja ni imelo vpliva (P < 0,05) na izgubo teže med predelavo. V primerjavi s klasično soljenimi smo pri pršutih s skrajšanim soljenjem ugotovili značilno (P < 0,05) višjo vrednost za aktivnost vode, nižjo vsebnost soli in višji indeks proteolize. Analiza reoloških lastnosti je pokazala, da so bili pršuti pri skrajšanem soljenju značilno (P < 0,05) mehkejši, manj kohezivni, gumijasti, elastični in žvečljivi ter so imeli večji indeks relaksacije. Senzorična analiza je pokazala povezavo skrajšanega soljenja (P ˂ 0,05) z večjo intenzivnostjo barve mišic, manjšo slanostjo ter hkrati večjo sladkostjo, grenkostjo, kislostjo in intenzivnostjo tujih okusov. S skrajšanim soljenjem smo uspeli znižati vsebnost soli, a so se na pršutu hkrati pokazali tudi nekateri negativni učinki, predvsem s stališča senzoričnih lastnosti, zaradi česar bi bilo potrebno v prihodnje prilagoditi tudi druge faze predelave.The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of shortened salting on processing losses, chemical composition, rheological and sensorial properties of the dry-cured ham. Hams of seven imunocastrates (n = 14) were assigned to two groups salted for 6 (shortened salting) or 18 (conventional salting) days and processed by conventional procedure for Kraški pršut. During the processing, weight loss was monitored. Chemical, sensorial and rheological analysis was conducted in hams after the end of maturation. Duration of salting had no effect (P < 0.05) on processing losses. Compared with the conventional salting increased water activity, lower salt content and a higher index of proteolysis was observed in hams with shortened salting. Regarding the rheological properties, hams with shortened salting were significantly (P < 0.05) softer, less cohesive, gummy, springy and chewy, but had a higher index of relaxation. Sensory analysis showed that the shortened salting is related (P ˂ 0.05) to higher muscle colour intensity, lower saltiness and at the same time higher sweetness, bitterness, sourness and off-taste intensity. Although salt content was reduced by shortened salting, some negative effects were also observed in terms of sensory characteristics, which makes further adjustments of other processing stage necessary