Proteolysis, physicochemical characteristics and free fatty acid composition of dry sausages made with deer (Cervus elaphus) or wild boar (Sus scrofa) meat: A preliminary study

In order to contribute to typifying delicatessen made with game meat, the proteolysis, physicochemical characteristic and free fatty acid composition were determined in 10 commercial dry sausages, chorizos and saucissons, made with deer or wild boar meat. The aw and pH values were similar for all the samples; however, the results for dry matter, protein nitrogen, fat, ash, sodium chloride, phosphorus, and sodium nitrite content showed great variation among the samples tested. The myofibrillar protein content was higher than the sarcoplasmic protein content in all samples analysed. The electrophoretic profiles of sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar proteins were different among samples. Principal components analysis, run on the relative density of myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic proteins, separated the chorizo and saucisson samples. Chorizo samples were a homogeneous group in the analysis of myofibrillar proteins, which indicated similar proteolysis effects for all samples. The majority acids were oleic, palmitic, linoleic and stearic in all samples. Chorizos differed from saucissons in the greater quantity (P < 0.05) of polyunsaturated fatty acids.