DRY HAM (“KRAŠKI PRŠUT”) PROCESSING LOSSES AS AFFECTED BY RAW MATERIAL PROPERTIES AND MANUFACTURING PRACTICE

Abstract

ABSTRACT The study evaluated independently the effects of raw material (fresh ham weight, fat thickness, pH) and producer on dry ham processing losses. Hams of the same origin, compliant with quality rules for Slovenian dry ham “Kraški pršut” were selected (n = 186). The seasoning lasted 60 weeks; during this time, hams lost 36.0% (±2.2) of their weight. In the present study, the results relate to hams of non-pale, soft, exudative appearance and weights (11.1 kg ± 0.9) typical for standard pig production. In this context, ham fat thickness was the principal factor affecting seasoning losses (fatter hams exhibited less and slower dehydration). The ham weight mainly affected the rate of dehydration (heavier hams had higher daily moisture loss), while pH value was important for the salting losses (lower extent and rate for hams of the highest pH class). Important differences in processing losses were observed between the producers even within narrow constraints of consortium rules. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS There is an antagonism between leanness, seasoning yield and quality of dry ham. The industry is facing challenges in search of the compromise between high technological yields and consumer demands for lean products with the desired eating quality. Many branded and unbranded dry hams on the market today are coming from the conventional modern pig production, which is also true for “Kraški pršut” dry ham. When such raw material is used for long seasoning, better processing yields can be achieved using heavier and fatter hams. Higher pH or ham fatness could be expected to reduce salt intake, which is presently one of the problems in “Kraški pršut” dry ham production. Important benefits can also be obtained from the control of anatomical losses. According to our results, a differentiation between the producers is possible even within the narrow restrictions given by the consortium.