Physicochemical changes in dry-cured hams salted with potassium, calcium and magnesium chloride as a partial replacement for sodium chloride

• Published in: Meat science Vol. 86; no. 2; pp. 331 - 336
• Main Authors: Aliño, M., Grau, R., Toldrá, F., Barat, J.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2010; [Amsterdam]: Elsevier Science; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Calcium; calcium chloride; Calcium Chloride - analysis; Calcium Chloride - pharmacology; Cattle; color; cured meats; dried meat; Dry-cured ham; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; ham; low sodium diet; Magnesium; magnesium chloride; Magnesium Chloride - analysis; Magnesium Chloride - pharmacology; Meat - analysis; Meat and meat product industries; mixtures; physicochemical properties; Potassium; potassium chloride; Potassium Chloride - analysis; Potassium Chloride - pharmacology; salt concentration; shrinkage; sodium; sodium chloride; Sodium Chloride, Dietary - analysis; Sodium Chloride, Dietary - pharmacology; Sodium-replacement; Swine; texture; water content; Mediterranean region; Sodium-replacement; Magnesium; Calcium; Dry-cured ham; Potassium; Pork product; Meat product; Replacement; Sodium chloride; Inorganic element; Calcium chloride; Salt; Sodium; Ham
• ISSN: 0309-1740; 1873-4138
• DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2010.05.003

The reduction of added sodium chloride in dry-cured ham has been proposed to reduce dietary sodium intake in Mediterranean countries. The effect of substituting sodium chloride with potassium chloride, calcium chloride and magnesium chloride on some physicochemical characteristics of dry-cured ham during processing was evaluated. The results showed that hams salted with a mixture of sodium and potassium chloride registered higher salt concentrations and lower water contents and thus, needed less time to reach the required weight loss at the end of the process. The opposite effect was observed when calcium and magnesium chloride were added to the salt mixture. The observed differences in the texture and colour parameters were mainly due to differences in water and salt content.