The effect of using PSE meat in the manufacture of dry-cured ham

 Drying, salting, protein changes, colour and the sensory quality were studied in dry-cured ham manufactured from refrigerated and frozen/thawed raw pale, soft and exudative (PSE) meat. The results obtained showed that the use of PSE meat increases the level of drying, salting and proteolysis of the dry-cured ham, although it does not significantly affect the sensory quality. Freezing and thawing of the raw material accentuates the proteolytic and exudative nature of the meat during the curing process, and as a result the salting and drying levels increase to such an extent that the PSE effect in these hams is practically undetectable.