Changes in the physicochemical properties and organoleptic quality of galician chorizos during curing and after vacuum-packing

Galician chorizo is a spicy smoked pork sausage made in northwest Spain. In the work reported here, physicochemical properties and organoleptic quality were evaluated (a) during manufacture and curing and (b) during storage of chorizos vacuum-packed after curing for 18 or 30 days. During curing, pH initially declined and then rose again; this pattern was reflected in an increase in acid flavour. Moisture content and water activity declined, while hardness increased, as reflected in the observed reduction in juiciness and the observed increase in subjectively-perceived hardness. Acidity index, peroxide index and proteolysis index increased only slightly over the curing period, and the tasters did not detect any organoleptic changes attributable to changes in these variables. During storage after vacuum-packing, no significant changes were observed in moisture content, water activity or hardness, but pH, acidity index, peroxide index and proteolysis index all increased gradually. During the last two weeks of storage of chorizos packed on day 30 of curing, tasters detected both rancid and strange flavours.