Reducing salt content of dry-cured ham: effect on lipid composition and sensory attributes

The salt content of dry-cured ham must be reduced to adapt the product to the taste of the consumer and to human health recommendations. This study dealt with the effect of lowering salt content on the lipid composition and sensory attributes of 18-month-old Corsican dry-cured hams. Six were salted according to a long time salting method and six according to a short time method (STS). The latter was lower in both total and free chlorides (4.7% v 7.3% and 1.5% v 2.0%, respectively) and in dry matter (23.8% v 25.2%). The composition of the intramuscular lipids was similar for both salting methods except that the proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids of the phospholipids was higher in STS hams (42.3% v 34.0%). The salting method had no significant effect on the appearance of the hams (marbling, colour). However, the STS hams were less salty and their aroma notes related to fat such as rancid, fatty and buttery were more pronounced.