Abstract
Thirty-six specimens of Spanish dry-cured ham from 18 different batches were studied to determine the influence of endogenous enzymes on the textural quality of the end product. It was shown that, the residual enzyme activity of cathepsins B+L is a reliable indicator of textural defects associated with strong proteolysis in Spanish dry-cured ham. In contrast, the activity of cathepsin B, which varied widely among samples, was less influential. Salt levels can have a moderate effect on the residual enzyme activities. Other compositional parameters also influence the properties of the end product; the amount of protein in semimembranosus muscle was found to be less and the moisture greater in texturally defective specimens. Also, the efficiency of the drying-curing process was less in hams yielding poor textures.
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