Assessing the textural defect of pastiness in dry-cured pork ham using chemical, microstructural, textural and ultrasonic analyses

Abstract

The dry-cured pork ham industry lacks non-destructive quality control techniques able to characterize relevant textural defects, such as pastiness or softness. The aim of this study is to analyze the feasibility of using different destructive and non-destructive techniques to characterize pastiness in dry-cured ham. Dry-cured ham processing was modified in order to induce different pastiness intensities over a wide range of moisture and salt contents. Afterwards, pastiness was assessed by sensory analysis and samples classified as non-pasty, medium-pasty and highly-pasty. Finally, chemical, textural, microstructural (LM and TEM) and ultrasonic analyses (velocity and attenuation coefficient) were carried out. Samples with a high degree of pastiness experienced an increase of 16.8% and 16.7% as regards the proteolysis index and relaxation capacity, respectively, and a 67.7% decrease in hardness compared to non-pasty hams. The microstructural analysis revealed that pastiness brought about great structural degradation. Ultrasonic velocity was significantly related to the salt (r=0.79) and moisture contents (r=0.69), but no influence of pastiness was found on the velocity. However, the attenuation coefficient increased as the pastiness rose and could be considered as a useful parameter for characterizing this complex textural defect. Therefore, ultrasound could be used not only to carry out a non-destructive characterization of dry-cured ham composition but also to assess pastiness.

Correction of defective textures in packaged dry-cured pork ham by applying conventional and ultrasonically-assisted mild thermal treatments

“…Likewise, Contreras et al (2020) analyzed the micro and ultrastructure of medium (Fig. As increase the level of pastiness, the muscle tissue is converted in an unstructured protein matrix with many disintegrated areas and intercellular spaces (Contreras et al, 2020). Similar results were obtained by Fulladosa, Rubio-Celorio, Skytte, Muñoz, & Picouet (2017), who used LM to observe dry-cured ham with a high proteolysis index (47%) but that had been induced artificially by a protease enzyme.…”

“…Dry-cured hams (n=108) from Large White and Landrace animal breed crosses were used. Dry-cured ham manufacturing was modified as described in detail by Contreras et al (2020) to induce pastiness over a wide intensity range. At the end of the processing, the cushion part of dry-cured hams was sliced into different formats.…”

“…Likewise, Contreras et al (2020) analyzed the micro and ultrastructure of medium (Fig. As increase the level of pastiness, the muscle tissue is converted in an unstructured protein matrix with many disintegrated areas and intercellular spaces (Contreras et al, 2020).…”

“…The most relevant textural defects are softness and pastiness, which influence negatively the consumer acceptance of dry-cured ham and also promote technological problems, such as the adhesiveness. Recently, Contreras et al (2020) characterized the defect of pastiness using conventional techniques, such as instrumental texture, chemical and microstructural analysis, and also nondestructive ultrasonic testing. Diverse studies have reported that at the end of the ham processing the extension of the aging stage and a slight temperature increase could reduce the intensity of these textural defects.…”

A comprehensive review on molecular mechanism of defective dry‐cured ham with excessive pastiness, adhesiveness, and bitterness by proteomics insights

“…Thus, researchers are increasingly concern about sensory‐related defects of dry‐cured ham and devote themselves to elucidating the relationship between uncontrolled proteolysis and sensory defects of dry‐cured ham (Garcı́a‐Garrido et al., 2000; Perez‐Santaescolastica et al., 2018b; Zhou, Wang, Tang et al., 2019). Pastiness, softness, and adhesiveness of dry‐cured ham are associated with mushy texture and denote a mouth‐coating sensation during mastication (Contreras, Benedito, Quiles, Lorenzo, Fulladosa, Gou et al., 2020); excessive bitterness gives an unpleasant perception with mouth‐bitter perception during mastication (Sforza et al, 2006). Although the underlying mechanism of sensory and textural defects in dry‐cured ham is still not fully known, it is believed that the textural defects (excessive pastiness and adhesiveness) of dry‐cured ham is mainly the result of the excessive breakdown of proteins by the activities of protease systems presented in the muscle tissue (Garcı́a‐Garrido et al, 2000; Sforza et al, 2001) and that the accumulation of peptides and free amino acids with bitter taste is responsible for the excessive bitterness in defective dry‐cured ham (Sforza et al, 2006).…”