Abstract
The curing of meat is a conservation technique widely used since ancient times to prolong shelf-life. It consists in exposing meat to a mixture of sodium chloride and nitrate/nitrite. Sodium chloride affects the flavor, texture and shelf-life of meat products. Animal fat mainly affects the flavor and texture, and nitrate and nitrite affect the color and flavor, and give cured meat products their typical aroma. Excessive intake of sodium has been linked to arterial hypertension and increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Excessive intakes of saturated fatty acids in pork fat, and also of nitrite, have been identified as factors promoting some cancers. There is consequently an increasing consumer demand to reduce these ingredients in processed meat and so develop healthier cured meat products. This paper reviews how and to what extent sodium, animal fat rich in saturated fatty acids, and nitrite contents can be reduced in the production of dry-cured hams and dry-fermented sausages.
Highlights
Since ancient times, the widespread curing of pork products such as dry-fermented sausages and dry-cured hams has been used as a conservation method to extend the storage life of pork meat
This paper reviews how and to what extent sodium, animal fat rich in saturated fatty acids, and nitrite contents can be reduced in the production of dry-cured hams and dry-fermented sausages
This study shows that it is possible to manufacture dry-fermented sausages that are sensorially quite acceptable provided taste enhancers are added, and in which the sodium content is reduced by 50% [46]
Summary
The widespread curing of pork products such as dry-fermented sausages and dry-cured hams has been used as a conservation method to extend the storage life of pork meat.
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