Paludi D, Di Guardo G, Olivastri A, Zizzi A, Rubini C, Pennisi LM, Baffoni M, Festino AR, Ianieri A, Vergara A. Microscopic investigations as an aid in raw ham's ripening analysis.
Ital J Food Saf 2019;
8:8166. [PMID:
31355155 PMCID:
PMC6615064 DOI:
10.4081/ijfs.2019.8166]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 05/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The raw ham’s ripening process contributes to the development of numerous
biochemical reactions, mainly affecting proteins and lipids and allowing to obtain an
adequate texture and a characteristic flavor. This article reports the results of
histologic investigations carried out on 5 different anatomic regions from raw hams
manufactured in the Fermo Province, Marche Region, Central Italy. Raw ham specimens were
collected at the 10 following time intervals throughout the ripening process: 1)
“Time 0”, when ripening was started, 2) one month, 3) three months, 4) four
months, 5) eight months, 6) nine months, 7) twelve months, 8) eighteen months, 9)
twentythree months and 10) twenty-eight months after the ripening process began,
respectively. Different microscopic findings of variable extension and degree were
observed, with the vast majority of them being interpreted as dehydration- and
proteolysisrelated modifications. In conclusion, morpho- histological investigations may
represent a valuable aid in raw ham’s ripening analysis.
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