Consistenza di prosciutti crudi stagionati DOP in relazione ad alcune caratteristiche della coscia fresca e stagionata

Consistency values of muscles and of subcutaneous fat were determined on 722 dry cured hams from Goland heavy pigs. For every muscle, measures were carried out on the inner and the external part. Consistency values appeared different in different muscles and also within the same muscle. Variation of muscle consistency depends on sex, carcass weight and some raw ham traits, but the highest effects were due to slaughter batch and weight loss after salting or at the end of seasoning. Firmness of subcutaneous fat exhibited a variation similar to the one found for muscles and slaughter batch and iodine number were the most important source of variation of covering fat consistency