The aim of the current experiment was to characterize and evaluate the effect of the dry-curing process on chemical composition, physicochemical properties, and sensory characteristics of the dry-cured Bísaro shoulders. For this purpose, thirty-eight raw forelegs were used, and no nitrites were added during the dry-curing process. This process increased protein, fat, ash content, and pH, with a decrease in moisture and water activity (p < 0.001). The dry-cured shoulders were darker (L*), less red (a*), and less yellow (b*) than the raw shoulders (p < 0.001), and this may be mainly due to the moisture reduction. The proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) decreased during processing, whereas the saturated fatty acids (SFA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) increased (p < 0.001), which could be related with the oxidative degradation. The sensory analysis showed that dry-cured Bísaro shoulders presented similar organoleptic characteristics to other dry-cured meat products. Also, the chemical composition and fatty acid profile of the dry-cured Bísaro shoulder showed results comparable to those of other cured products. This study revealed that it is possible to obtain safer and healthier dry-cured Bísaro shoulder products judging by these characteristics, since nitrites were not added in its preparation. These findings, along with the product’s high sensory attributes similar to more popular products such as ham, would give more advantage for its acceptability and market demand
The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal)
for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC) to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020
and UIDP/00690/2020) and SusTEC (LA/P/0007/2020). GAIN (Axencia Galega de Innovación) for
supporting this article (grant number IN607A2019/01) and to Laboratory of Carcass and Meat Quality
of Agriculture School of Polytechnic Institute of Bragança ‘Cantinho do Alfredo’. Grants of A.L.,
I.F. and L.V. are due to NORTE-01-0247-FEDER-072234. The authors (R.D., E.M.S., P.C.B.C., S.R.,
J.M.L. and A.T.) are members of the Healthy Meat network, funded by CYTED (ref: 119RT0568). This
study is a part of a project between a research center (Carcass and Meat Quality and Technology
Laboratory of Agrarian School of Bragança), two breeder associations (ANCRAS—Serrana Goat
National Association of Breed Producers and ACOB—Bragançana Sheep National Association of
Breed Producers) and a meat manufacturing industry (Bísaro Salsicharia Tradicional®) to developed
and add value of animals reared in the extensive system and creating new processed meat products.
