The purpose of the research was to investigate the carcass composition, meat quality and chemical composition of pigs from two pork chains for the production of traditional dry/cured products in Croatia. The trial involved 24 Black Slavonian barrows reared outdoors (NAT chain) and 24 PIC hybrid barrows kept under industrial conditions (INT chain); all animals were raised to 160 kg of live weight. After slaughter, carcass and meat quality traits were measured and samples for chemical composition were taken. After that, a full dissection of the carcasses was performed. The pigs from the INT pork chain had leaner carcasses, higher bone percentages, and lower fatness levels than the NAT carcasses. Pigs from the NAT chain exhibited a more desirable meat quality. No differences were found in moisture, and samples from the INT chain exhibited higher collagen and protein percentage. Muscles from the NAT chain had higher IMF and MUFA levels, and the SFA content was lower than in INT pork. Despite the superior carcass traits of the pigs from the INT chain, pigs from the NAT chain demonstrated better suitability for the production of dry/cured products.

Chemical characteristics of raw and processed Istarski pršut (PDO) produced from two different pig genotypes were studied with special emphasis on amino and fatty acid composition and factors of lipid stability. Raw hams of Large White (LW)xLandrace (L), and (LWxL)xDuroc (D) pig genotypes were used in the study (20 hams of each genotype). All left raw hams from each carcass were processed in accordance with the PDO specification of Istarski pršut, and other half (the right ones) of LWxL)xD genotype were used for analyses of raw hams (fresh muscles). Istarski pršut was evaluated on the basis of the chemical parameters of the raw and matured lean ham. The process of dry curing significantly influenced the chemical properties of Istarski pršut. Despite the higher content of intramuscular fat and polyunsaturated fatty acids, the fat of (LWxL)xD ham was much more resistant to hydrolysis and oxidation, suggesting that fatty acid profile and other factors, also play a significant role. Significant differences between pig genotypes in the amino acid and fatty acid profiles were found. The analyzed Istarski pršut may be distinguished by prints of multivariate chemometric statistical analysis, based on their amino acid and fatty acid compositions.

U okviru projekta utvrđivanja aroma profila različitih hrvatskih vrsta janjetine čiji je osnovni cilj bio ponuditi jednostavnu i pouzdanu analitičku metodu kojom bi se mogla potvrditi njihova autentičnost povezujući ih sa zemljopisnim područjem uzgoja, izvršena je analiza hlapivih spojeve arome kupreške janjetine uzgojene na Kupreškoj visoravni (BiH) na oko 1200 m n.v. Znatna teritorijalna odvojenost (horizontalna i vertikalna) Kupreške visoravni od hrvatskih područja na kojima je istraživanje organizirano (Lika, Dalmatinska zagora, otoci Pag i Cres) te razlike u njihovim prirodnim obilježjima doprinos su sigurnijem donošenju zaključaka o mogućim biomarkerima janjećeg mesa koji bi se s obzirom na florni sastav mogli povezati s određenim zemljopisnim područjem uzgoja. Analizom hlapivih spojeva toplinski obrađene kupreške janjetine na GC-MS, metodom mikroekstrakcije na čvrstoj fazi (SPME) te određeni metodom plinske kromatografije s masenom spektrofotometrijom (GC-MS), izolirano je ukupno 66 spojeva, od čega 14 aldehida (61,55 % ukupne površine pikova), 10 alkohola (7,78 %),12 ketona (12,11 %), 8 alifatskih ugljikovodika (1,23 %), 7 aromatskih spojeva (9,63 %), 3 heterociklička spoja (0,95 %), 1 furan (1,34 %), 2 kiseline i 3 estera (3,75 %), 4 terpena (0,94 %) te 3 sumporna spoja (0,73 %). U odnosu na dalmatinsku, pašku, ličku i cresku janjetinu, aroma kupreške janjetine sadrži 3 hlapiva spoja (2 ketona i 1 ester) koja nisu utvrđena u navedenim vrstama janjetine. Nadalje, aroma kupreške janjetine sadrži znatno više C-7 aldehida (16,24 %), ketona 2,3-oktadienona i 2-oktanona (9,96 %) te dugolančanih alkana (0,71 %) koji se u literaturi navode kao pašni markeri, ali i znatno manji broj i udio terpena (0,94 %) koji se u literaturi spominju kao mogući pouzdani biomarkeri zemljopisnog područja uzgoja. S obzirom da su terpeni isključivo metaboliti biljaka (biljke dvosupnice ih sadrže znatno više nego jednosupnice) koji se uglavnom izravno iz hrane ugrađuju u životinjska tkiva, terpenski profil janjetine može ukazivati na područje uzgoja janjadi (efekt teritorija). Sudeći prema aroma profilu (markerima paše), a osobito terpenskom profilu kupreške janjetine, kupreški pašnjaci i livade obiluju bogatom biljnom masom u kojoj dominiraju trave, dok su biljke dvosupnice (bogate aromatskim spojevima) manje zastupljene. Za pouzdanije rezultate potrebno je provesti dodatna istraživanja botaničkog i kemijskog sastava flore kupreških pašnjaka i livada, čije će se rezultati povezati s odgovarajućim spojevima arome janjećeg mesa.

The aim of this research was to determine the effect of sex, castration, and processing on the chemical properties of mutton in the production of kaštradina—a traditional Dalmatian dry-cured meat product. Therefore, the carcasses of 20 ewes (E), 20 rams (R), and 20 wethers (W) of the Dalmatian pramenka breed were processed by dry-curing. On the 1st, 35th, and 60th days of processing, the samples from the scapulae were taken, then the proximate chemical, NaCl, and mineral analyses were performed, and significant differences between most of the parameters were found. Unlike W, the R samples contained significantly more proteins (p < 0.01), NaCl (p < 0.05), and potassium (p < 0.05) and less fat (p < 0.05). Furthermore, compared to the W and R categories, the E category of kaštradina contained significantly more calcium (p < 0.05). The higher contents of intramuscular fat, potassium, and calcium and lower content of NaCl could positively affect the sensory (marbling, flavor, juiciness, and tenderness) and chemical (fatty acid profile) properties of kaštradina. These findings suggest that the W and E raw mutton could be a better-quality raw material for production of kaštradina than could the R, but further research is needed for a more comprehensive picture of its quality.

The protection of Dalmatian lamb ("Dalmatinska janjetina") with a protected designation of origin label (PDO) is based on the specific quality of meat of Dalmatian pramenka lamb and the traditional lamb breeding method in the geographic area that coincides with the breeding area of Dalmatian pramenka (indigenous Croatian sheep breed). Under the name of "Dalmatinska janjetina", only the meat of lambs of Dalmatian pramenka, bred exclusively in Dalmatia, can be placed on the market. In the process of obtaining a PDO label, which has recently been completed at the Croatian national level and is currently in the process at the EU level, a survey among Croatian consumers (a sample of 1,034 consumers from all over Croatia) was conducted to determine the recognition of this product on the Croatian market, as well as consumer preferences considering similar products from other Croatian regions. The research has shown that Croatian consumers recognize Dalmatian lamb as a traditional, high-quality product. Thus, almost 75 % of the respondents recognize it as a particular type of lamb of better quality than others on the Croatian market. Almost 85 % of the respondents use lamb regardless of type in their diet, but more than 58 % always on special occasions (folk festivals and family celebrations), especially if prepared in the traditional way (lamb on a spit) by which Dalmatia as a region is recognized by more than 85 % of the respondents. The market reputation and connection with the geographic production area are why Croatian consumers rather buy Dalmatian lamb over others.