Analysis of firmness of dry cured hams in relation to fresh and dry cured ham traits

This study aimed to investigate relationships between firmness of dry cured hams and fresh and dry cured ham traits. Measures and scores for firmness of muscles and of subcutaneous fat were obtained for 722 dry cured hams produced by crossbred heavy pigs. Pigs were slaughtered in 11 groups at 163±15 kg of live weight. Herd, management and feeding regime was the same throughout the trial. Firmness was measured by a Hardness Meter MK2. Measures were taken on inner and outer locations of different muscles and of subcutaneous fat. Firmness traits were analysed using a linear model. Firmness was different in different muscles and also in different locations of the same muscle. Variation of muscle firmness was influenced by the slaughter group, sex, carcass weight, some raw ham traits, and weight loss during curing. Firmness of subcutaneous fat exhibited variation similar to that of muscles, and was influenced by the slaughter group and iodine number of subcutaneous fat of raw ham.