Ham Samples Research Articles

Quality of Slovenian dry-cured ham from Krškopolje and hybrid pigs: Influence of skin trimming methods.

This study examined the quality of dry-cured hams produced from local pig breed and modern hybrids using two trimming methods. Hams (n=24) of similar weight were harvested from local breed "Krškopolje pig" (KKP) and conventional hybrid pigs (CON). The left and right hams from KKP were trimmed according to "Kraški pršut" (K) and "Istrski pršut" (I), respectively, while the hams from CON were trimmed as "Kraški pršut", yielding 8 hams per treatment (K-KKP, I-KKP, K-CON). After processing, the samples of dry-cured hams (part with biceps femoris, semimembranosus and semitendinosus muscles) were collected and analysed for chemical composition, texture, sensory analysis and volatile profile. Dry-cured hams of local breed (K-KKP) had lower dehydration loss (due to thicker fat cover), moisture content and aw, softer and more plastic texture, with sensory analysis showing more marbling, softer, pastier texture, more pronounced herbal aroma and sweetness than K-CON. Trimming type was associated with higher dehydration loss (due to removed skin), lower moisture content and aw, higher salt content and harder texture, with sensory analysis showing more marbling, more surface moisture and herbal odour, harder and pastier texture, and sweeter and less bitter taste in I-KKP than K-KKP. The analysis of volatile compounds clearly distinguished the types of dry-cured hams, with each exhibiting a unique volatile profile that enabled differentiation based on breed or trimming. Overall, the study highlights some advantages of dry-cured ham from local pig breeds and shows how trimming affects product's characteristics.

Correlation between the Characteristic Flavour and Microbial Community of Xuanwei Ham after Ripening

Xuanwei ham is a traditional fermented meat product in China with a unique production process and excellent-quality reputation at home and abroad. To reveal the microbial community succession of Xuanwei ham at different post-ripening times (W1-4) and its relationship with flavour formation, the microbial community, free amino acids, and volatile flavour compounds (VOCs) were analysed by high-throughput sequencing, liquid chromatography (LC), and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), respectively. A total of 25 free amino acids were detected, among which W3 contained the fewest, and most were generally lower than in hams in the other three years. Fifty-nine VOCs were detected, among which 17 were esters, and the highest ester content was found in W4. Analysis of the bacterial community composition revealed that the bacterial community composition of ham samples from W3 and other years differed greatly, and at the gate level, the dominant bacterial group of Xuanwei ham from different years was Pseudomonadota. At the genus level, the most abundant genera in W1, W2, and W4 were all dominated by Sarocladium, Klebsiella, and Vibrio, with Klebsiella being the most abundant in W1. The most abundant genus in W3 was Vibrio, and the second most dominant genera were Sarocladium and Gammaretrovirus. In short, this study provides a theoretical basis for the storage, quality, and improvement of Xuanwei ham.

Behavior of Spoilage Bacterial Communities in Different Cuts of Enshi Black Pork under Refrigerated Storage (4 °C).

The Enshi black pig is a Chinese native breed known for its rich nutrition content and high quality, which has notable traction in the consumer market. In this study, the potential impact of the main commercial cuts from Enshi black pork carcasses (ham, loin, and belly) on the bacteria community of spoiled meat under refrigerated storage (4 °C) was assessed by using a high-throughput sequencing method. Moreover, the spoilage potential of isolated strains from spoiled pork was investigated. The results demonstrated significant differences (p < 0.05) in bacterial community diversity and composition among spoiled ham, loin, and belly samples. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis revealed a total of 20 significantly different potential bacterial biomarkers, with the dominant genera of Pseudomonas, Psychrobacter, Shewanella and Carnobacterium. Additionally, C. divergens THT1-5, isolated from spoiled ham samples, displayed cold adaptation and higher spoilage potential in Enshi black pork. These findings are helpful for identifying key factors contributing to spoilage in Enshi black pork and developing strategies to inhibit bacterial growth during preservation.

Nanocomposite Films of Babassu Coconut Mesocarp and Green ZnO Nanoparticles for Application in Antimicrobial Food Packaging.

In this work, novel nanocomposite films based on babassu coconut mesocarp and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), synthesized by a green route, were produced for application as food packaging films. The films were prepared using the casting method containing different contents of ZnO NPs (0 wt%, 0.1 wt%, 0.5 wt%, and 1.0 wt%). The films were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), instrumental color analysis, and optical properties. The water vapor permeability (WVP) and tensile strength of films were also determined. The antimicrobial activity of the films against cooked turkey ham samples contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus was investigated. The results showed that incorporating ZnO NPs into babassu mesocarp matrices influenced the structure of the biopolymer chains and the color of the films. The BM/ZnO-0.5 film (0.5 wt% ZnO NPs) showed better thermal, mechanical, and WVP properties. Furthermore, the synergistic effect of babassu mesocarp and ZnO NPs in the BM/ZnO-0.5 film improved the antimicrobial properties of the material, reducing the microbial count of S. aureus in cooked turkey ham samples stored under refrigeration for 7 days. Thus, the films produced in this study showed promising antimicrobial packaging materials for processed foods.

Characterization of dry-cured ham microbiota at 12 months of seasoning obtained from different rearing strategies using 16S rRNA profiling

In this study, we investigated the microbiota of 72 Italian ham samples collected after 12 months of seasoning. The hams were elaborated from pigs fed different rearing methods, including the traditional restricted medium protein diet chosen as control (C group); restrictive low protein diet (LP group); two ad libitum high-protein diet groups (HP9M group: slaughter at 9 months of age; HP170 group: slaughter at 170 kg). A multi-amplicon 16S metabarcoding approach was used, and a total of 2845 Amplicon Sequence Variants were obtained from the 72 ham samples. Main phyla included: Firmicutes (90.8%), Actinobacteria (6.2%), Proteobacteria (2.7%), and Bacteroidota (0.12%). The most common genera were Staphylococcus, Tetragenococcus, and Brevibacterium. Shannon index for α-diversity was found statistically significant, notably for the HP9M group, indicating higher diversity compared to C. PERMANOVA test on β-diversity showed significant differences in rearing methods between HP170 and C, HP170 and LP, and HP9M vs. C. All three rearing methods revealed associations with characteristic communities: the HP9M group had the highest number of associations, many of which were due to spoilage bacteria, whereas the LP group had the highest number of seasoning-favourable genera.

Paper-based sensor with electro-modified chitosan/silver nanoparticles for rapid and sensitive nitrite detection

The presence of high concentration of nitrite in natural environment and food can be harmful to water ecosystems and human health. It is of great significance to develop a reliable detection method for nitrite. In this work, a modified paper sensor (CS/AgNPs-PE) was fabricated by electrodepositing chitosan (CS) and electrochemically reducing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) onto an oxidized graphene/cellulose/carbon fiber composite paper sensor. The successful loading of chitosan and AgNPs enhances the electrocatalytic activity of the sensor, improving the detection performance of nitrite. The electrochemical process of nitrite on the surface of the CS/AgNPs-PE was proven to be a diffusion-controlled irreversible reaction. Cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) were used to quantitatively analyze nitrite. A low detection limit of 7.9 × 10−7 mol L−1 can be obtained by DPV under a wide nitrite detection range of 4.0–1000 µM. CS/AgNPs-PE sensor exhibited good repeatability and selectivity, and it could be used to detect nitrite in tap water and ham samples. These results suggest that the CS/AgNPs-PE sensor is of great potential for nitrite sensing in real samples.

Revealing the intrinsic relationship between microbial communities and physicochemical properties during ripening of Xuanwei ham

To clarify the relationship between microorganisms and physicochemical indicators of Xuanwei ham. Six ham samples for the first, second and third year were selected, respectively. The changes of physicochemical properties, the free fatty acids and microbial communities of Xuanwei ham were investigated by GC–MS and high-throughput sequencing technology. Results showed that scores of colour, overall acceptability, texture, taste and aroma were the highest in the third year sample. With increasing ripening time, moisture content, water activity (Aw), lightness (L*), springiness, and resilience decreased continuously, and yellowness (b*) was the highest in the second year sample. 31 free fatty acids were detected, and unsaturated fatty acids such as palmitoleic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid were the major fatty acids. The content of palmitoleic acid, oleic acid and eicosenoic acid increased significantly during processing. At the phylum level, the dominant bacteria were Proteobacteria and Firmicutes, and fungi were Ascomycota. At the genus level, the dominant bacteria were Staphylococcus and Psychrobacter, and fungi were Aspergillus. Correlation analysis showed that water content and Aw were closely related to microorganisms, and most unsaturated fatty acids were significantly correlated with microorganisms. These findings showed that microorganisms played an important role in the quality of Xuanwei ham, and provided a scientific basis for the quality control of Xuanwei ham.

Effects of industrial slicing on the microbiological quality and safety of mozzarella cheese and ham

Slicing of animal origin food affects the final quality of products and potentially transfers pathogenic microorganisms as it occurs after microorganism control and elimination steps, such as cooking and pasteurization. Therefore, the food industry needs to ensure the safety of food products to reduce the incidence of foodborne diseases. This requires an understanding of the dangers involved in each stage of production, along with the microorganisms transferred during processing. In this study, we aimed to understand the impact of industrial slicing on mozzarella cheese and ham by investigating the quality indicator microorganisms, aerobic mesophiles, psychrotrophs, total coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus, and pathogens, such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes. Samples were collected from pieces (20) and slices (20) of mozzarella cheese and ham. The number of mesophilic aerobes differed significantly before and after slicing (P < 0.05) for mozzarella. However, no difference was observed in the psychrotrophic microorganism counts during slicing. The counts of total coliforms and S. aureus increased after slicing (P > 0.05). In total, 844 isolates were analyzed for pathogenic genes, and Salmonella spp. were identified in 40% of the piece and 20% of the sliced mozzarella cheese samples and in 30% of the piece and 50% of the sliced ham samples. Furthermore, S. aureus genes with the potential to produce enterotoxins C and D were identified in two sliced mozzarella cheese samples. Slicing of ready-to-eat food is an important step in food microbiology. Our results highlight the importance of maintaining hygienic practices during processing and demonstrate that the microbiological quality of the slicing sample affects the quality and safety of the sliced product.

Sterilization of Human Amniotic Membrane Using an Ozone Hydrodynamic System.

Human amniotic membrane (hAM) is an important biomaterial for Tissue Engineering, due to its great regenerative properties and potential use as a scaffold. The most used procedure to sterilize biomaterials is gamma-irradiation, but this method can affect several properties, causing damage to the structure and reducing the growth factors. The present work evaluated the efficiency of a new method based on ozonated dynamic water for hAM sterilization. HAM fragments were experimentally contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Clostridium sporogenes (106CFU/mL) and submitted to sterilization process for 5, 10 and 15min. The analyses did not reveal microbial activity after 10min for S. aureus and C. sporogenes and after 15min for E. coli and S. epidermidis. The microbial activity of C. albicans was reduced with the exposure time increase, but the evaluated time was insufficient for complete sterilization. The depyrogenation process was investigated for different ozonation times (15, 20, 25, 30, and 35min) to evaluate the ozone sterilization potential and presented promising results after 35min. The ozone effect on hAM structure was evaluated by histological analysis. A decrease in epithelium average thickness was observed with the exposure time increase. Furthermore, some damage in the epithelium was observed when hAM was exposed for 10 and 15min. It can indicate that ozone, besides being effective in sterilization, could promote the hAM sample's de-epithelization, becoming a possible new method for removing the epithelial layer to use hAM as a scaffold.

Optimization and validation of an HS-SPME/GC-MS method for determining volatile organic compounds in dry-cured ham.

The formation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in dry-cured ham is a result of different biochemical and enzymatic processes. Moreover, accurately quantifying these VOCs is challenging since ham is a complex matrix, which contains compounds from various chemical families and a wide range of volatilities of different molecular masses. In this study, we systematically optimized and validated an analytical method for quantifying VOCs in dry-cured ham using headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Optimal SPME conditions were determined through both an experimental procedure (one-factor-at-a-time) and response surface methodology (RSM), revealing that a 60-min equilibration at 70°C, a 60-min extraction at the same temperature, and a 4-min desorption time at 250°C provided the most favorable results. To enhance quantitation, twelve multiple internal standards (ISTDs) were employed to address and improve the quantitation of the 12 VOCs. Method validation covered aspects of linearity, limits of detection (LOD: 0.03-1.13 mg kg-1), limits of quantitation (LOQ: 0.09-3.41 mg kg-1), and working ranges (0.01-19.1 mg kg-1). The practical application of this optimized method was demonstrated by analyzing dry-cured ham samples (n = 4), sourced from the Slovenian market. The initial statistical evaluation indicates that different types of dry-cured hams can be differentiated (with an 83.1% of accuracy) according to their aromatic profile. However, a larger sample size would be required to provide a more comprehensive assessment.

The pigment transformation from nitrosylheme to Zn-protoporphyrin IX in cooked ham products

In this study, we investigated cooked hams to understand the relationship between display life and quality changes, as well as the microbiological characteristics of refrigerated storage for up to 90 days. Initially, the L* and a* values exhibited an initial decline with a gradual restitution to levels insignificantly disparate from those Day 15 hams. In contrast, the b* and h° values demonstrated an ascending pattern, indicating an augmentation in yellow intensity during the storage. Furthermore, there was an observable escalation in the C* value following 45 days of storage, implying an amplified luminosity and vividness of color during the latter phase of the storage period. Analyses of TBARS, TVB-N, and other physicochemical indexes indicated that the hams underwent deterioration during storage. Whereas, UV–vis and fluorescence spectroscopy illustrated that the pigment in cooked hams changed from nitrosylheme (NO-heme) to Zn-protoporphyrin IX (ZnPP) during storage. The NO-heme content decreased from 41.08 ± 0.44 to 12.76 ± 0.29 mg/kg, while the ZnPP content increased from 12.19 ± 0.41 to 89.44 ± 1.57 mg/kg. The structure of the bacterial community in the ham samples changed over the storage period. Towards the end of the shelf life, the microbial population was dominated by Lactic acid bacteria (LAB), particularly Latilactobacillus (34.91%) and Leuconostoc (19.73%). Redundancy analysis and Pearson correlation revealed a positive correlation between Latilactobacillus and Leuconostoc with TBARS, TVB-N, ZnPP content, and negative correlations with Aw and NO-heme.

Characterization and technological evaluation of coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from Sjenica sheep's ham

This study investigates the community of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) in samples of Sjenica sheep's ham from different villages across three seasons over a 120-day maturation period. The CNS group was identified into five distinct species: Staphylococcus epidermidis, S. saprophyticus, S. carnosus, S. xylosus, and S. equorum. The safety evaluation revealed no hemolytic activity in any tested isolates, while resistance to novobiocin was observed in S. xylosus and S. saprophyticus isolates. The technological properties of the isolated CNS were assessed, including tolerance to different temperatures, pH values, salt concentrations, as well as proteolytic and lipolytic activity. Results demonstrated the ability of all tested isolates to grow across various pH values and salt concentrations, with isolates of S. carnosus and S. epidermidis showing tolerance to 45 °C. The best technological properties were shown by S. carnosus, followed by S. equorum. These findings provide insights into the potential applications of CNS in food processing industries, as putative starters.

Performance of benchtop and portable spectroscopy equipment for discriminating Iberian ham according to breed

Iberian ham is a highly appreciated product and according to Spanish legislation different labels identify different products depending on the genetic purity. Consequently, “100% Iberian” ham from purebred Iberian animals is more expensive than “Iberian” ham from Iberian x Duroc crosses. The hypothesis of this study was that to avoid labelling fraud it is possible to distinguish the breed (Iberian or Iberian x Duroc) of acorn-fed pigs of Iberian ham without any prior preparation of the sample by using spectroscopy that is a rapid and reliable technology. Moreover, portable devices which can be used in situ could provide similar results to those of benchtop equipment. Therefore, the spectra of the 60 samples (24 samples of 100% Iberian ham and 36 samples of Iberian x Duroc crossbreed ham) were recorded only for the fat, only for the muscle, or for the whole slice with two benchtop near-infrared (NIR) spectrometers (Büchi NIRFlex N-500 and Foss NIRSystem 5000) and five portable spectrometers including four portable NIR devices (VIAVI MicroNIR 1700 ES, TellSpec Enterprise Sensor, Thermo Fischer Scientific microPHAZIR, and Consumer Physics SCiO Sensor), and one RAMAN device (BRAVO handheld). The results showed that, in general, the whole slice recording produced the best results for classification purposes. The SCiO device showed the highest percentages of correctly classified samples (97% in calibration and 92% in validation) followed by TellSpec (100% and 81%). The SCiO sensor also showed the highest percentages of success when the analyses were performed only on lean meat (97% in calibration and 83% in validation) followed by microPHAZIR (84% and 81%), while in the case of the fat tissue. Raman technology showed the best discrimination capacity (96% and 78%) followed by microPHAZIR (89% and 81%). Therefore, spectroscopy has proved to be a suitable technology for discriminating ham samples according to breed purity; portable devices have been shown to give even better results than benchtop spectrometers.

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Procedure for Online Determination of Sodium and Potassium Content in Low-Salt Cured Hams.

This paper reports the development of a near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) calibration procedure for the determination of sodium and potassium content in cured ham samples. Sliced samples of hams treated with different salts in different percentages were included in the study. Calibration models developed using partial least squares regression were cross-validated and predictive models were tested using the samples of cured ham with low sodium content. The results showed that the developed NIRS procedure is capable of directly measuring the potassium content of packaged dry-cured ham slices with low sodium content with a fitting accuracy of 91.44%, and that it can indirectly determine the sodium content by applying a correction factor to the values obtained for potassium. The prediction error between the calculated and actual sodium values determined using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrophotometry (ICP-AES) was 0.004%, and this confirms that the NIRS procedure is a viable option for the determination of sodium and potassium content in this type of sample.

UHPLC-MS/MS-based lipidomics for the evaluation of the relationship between lipid changes and Zn-protoporphyrin formation during Nuodeng ham processing

The effects of changes in lipids on the formation of Zn-protoporphyrin (ZnPP) during the processing of Nuodeng ham were analyzed using a lipidomics approach based on UHPLC-MS/MS. The Nuodeng ham samples had a strong fluorescence emission peak at 590 nm, and the fluorescence intensity increased with the processing time. Lipid profiles were mainly affected by processing time. A total of 5 lipid classes were detected, of which glycerophospholipids (GP) and glycerolipids (GL) were the most abundant lipids. Fifty differential lipid compounds were screened, which were mainly GP and GL. Correlation analysis showed that 13 differential lipid compounds were significantly positively correlated with ZnPP content, and they contained more linoleic acid and oleic acid branch chains. Meanwhile, all triglycerides (TG) were negatively correlated with heme content, and they were enriched in stearic acid and palmitic acid branch chains. These findings can deepen the understanding of the relationship between ZnPP and lipids.

Quality and safety aspects of traditionally air-dried and nitrite-free meat product with reduced salt level

This paper studies the effect of reduced sodium chloride amounts (3%, 5% and 7%) on the quality aspects and safety elements of traditionally salted ham without any nitrates and nitrites added, dried and ripened under natural air-drying conditions. The physicochemical and textural properties, the degree of proteolysis, the microbiological characteristics and sensory profile of dry-cured ham were analysed at different production stages. A salting degree above 3% in the manufacture of this traditional dried product had a key role in the development of the desired microbiological and sensory characteristics in the absence of nitrites. Salting of the pork hams with 5% and 7% sodium chloride for 45 days at a temperature of 2±2 °С ensured a salt concentration and water activity that would guarantee the product safety with regard to the microbiological risks during the subsequent drying and ripening under natural air-drying conditions. The Elena ham samples salted with 5% sodium chloride and ripened for a period of 12 months in natural air-drying chambers were characterized as having the most balanced flavor.

Improving fraud detection in processed meats: A histology–PCR approach

Food fraud is a growing global concern that involves intentional actions aimed at deceiving consumers for financial gain by misrepresenting food products. Adulteration, substitution, mislabeling, and tampering are among the deceptive practices that can alter food products' nutritional value and composition. While various techniques, including mass spectrometry, enzyme immunoassay, histology, and DNA-based analysis, have been employed to detect food adulteration, each method has its limitations. This study presents a novel approach that combines PCR-based techniques with histology analysis to improve the detection of food adulteration in processed meats. The investigation involved the analysis of 105 randomly selected samples of sausages and beef hams in Iran using histological and PCR techniques. The results showed that 55 % of the beef ham samples and 66.15 % of the sausage samples contained unauthorized tissues. The multiplex PCR tests confirmed that 20 % of the beef ham samples and 0 % of the sausage samples had undeclared meat. Therefore, including histology as an additional method was necessary to accurately identify undeclared tissues from the same species. The findings suggest that the combined application of PCR-based and histology-based methods can effectively identify fraudulent practices within the food industry. This approach can enhance the detection of food adulteration and provide strong evidence for regulatory authorities to take necessary actions to protect consumer rights and promote food safety.

Determination of ATP-related compounds by HPLC to study the effect of cell-free supernatants of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum on the shelf life of sliced dry-cured ham

This research aimed to study the evolution of ATP-related compounds in dry-cured ham and to assess their suitability as chemical markers of food contamination. A rapid high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed for the analysis of five ATP-related compounds namely, ATP, ADP, AMP, hypoxanthine, and Ino in sliced dry-cured ham. Moreover, a positive correlation between ATP content and microbial load was found in ham during storage. In addition, the method developed herein was employed to quantify ATP-related compounds in sliced dry-cured ham wrapped in a novel antibacterial packaging film containing the cell-free supernatant (CFS) of a probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strain. The contents of ATP-related compounds in ham samples wrapped in the antibacterial packaging film were lower than in control samples during the 7 days of storage (181 vs 269 mg/kg on day 2; 247 vs 286 mg/kg on day 5; 272 vs 297 mg/kg on day 7). Thus, the evaluated CFS could be considered in packaging material applications for the preservation of sliced ham. This study presents an effective method to assess the quality of sliced ham, which might also contribute to the adoption of active packaging in the food industry.

Analysis of Volatile Flavor Compounds and Physicochemical Properties in Conventional and Organic Pork Meats Using SPME-GC-MS

Volatiles responsible for aroma and flavor were investigated in the main types of pork consumed in Spain: duroc and white pigs, the latter reared according to organic and conventional procedures. The main volatiles were detected and identified by SPME-GC-MS technique in three different anatomical parts of the animals: ham, loin and tenderloin. Other physicochemical characteristics such as moisture, pH and tenderness were also evaluated, although no significant correlation was found between them and the volatiles studied. All duroc (minuscule) pork samples presented a higher sum of aldehydes and alcohols (26.8% on average), with pleasant aromas and remarkable values of odorous activity, than the white pork samples (17.5% on average). When comparing the white pig samples, the data showed a higher amount of aldehydes and alcohols in the tenderloin of the organic pork samples (17.9% versus 10.28%), which could benefit the flavor of this anatomical part. However, in the case of ham samples, aldehydes and alcohols were found to be more abundant in the conventional pork samples (22.2% versus 14.0%). The data obtained were subjected to a principal component analysis (PCA) in which a clear association was found between some volatiles and the rearing system adopted. In particular, a relationship was observed between organic pork ham samples and the compound glycerol-1-myristate (pleasant odor). The compound 4-isopropylcyclohexylamine (unpleasant odor) and organic pork loin samples were also correlated. A discriminant analysis (DA) was performed using a selection of volatiles, obtaining valuable results for the distinction of the origin of pork meat, after an adequate validation of the analytical method.

Spam/Ham Email Classification Using Machine Learning

Email stands for Electronic mail which means it is the way to distribute messages by electronic means from a computer source to one or more by means of network. It is one of the fastest method of distributing messages between sender’s and receiver’s computer system via Internet. In these days, email has become the most frequent communication system and a significant portion of the population depends on accessible email or texts from strangers. One of the biggest issues email consumers confront is the increase of spam communications. The tools that determine if an email is spam or not are known as spam filters. Currently there are many spam filter tools available on internet. Identifying these spammers is one of the hot topic of research and arduous tasks. In this paper we will look into the spam filter techniques using machine learning. Logistic regression algorithm and the spam emails will be categorized using the Natural Language Toolkit. The dataset utilized comes from the public datasets of Apache Spam Assassin and includes samples of spam and ham. The accuracy is defined on the basis of score of cross validation, precession and recall.