Non-contact ultrasonic assessment of the properties of vacuum-packaged dry-cured ham

Ultrasound pulses are transmitted through samples of vacuum-packaged dry-cured ham of different thicknesses. These measurements permitted us to get simultaneously both velocity of ultrasounds and thickness of the package. These results are compared with those obtained using a classical ultrasonic direct-contact technique and a conventional thickness gage. Deviation of velocity and thickness measured with air-coupled ultrasounds respect to the standard techniques is 1.86% and 2.98%, respectively. This confirms the possibility to use air-coupled ultrasound to assess the properties of dry-cured ham. This technique presents the advantages of being completely non-contact, clean, rapid, and requires no independent thickness measurement.