Assessing quality parameters in dry-cured ham using microwave spectroscopy

S G Bjarnadottir; K Lunde; O Alvseike; A Mason; A I Al-Shamma'a

doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2015.06.004

Assessing quality parameters in dry-cured ham using microwave spectroscopy

Meat Sci. 2015 Oct:108:109-14. doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2015.06.004. Epub 2015 Jun 7.

Authors

S G Bjarnadottir¹, K Lunde², O Alvseike², A Mason³, A I Al-Shamma'a³

Affiliations

¹ Dept. Quality and Processing, Animalia, Norwegian Meat and Poultry Research Centre, P.B. 396 Økern, 0513 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: stefania.bjarnadottir@animalia.no.
² Dept. Quality and Processing, Animalia, Norwegian Meat and Poultry Research Centre, P.B. 396 Økern, 0513 Oslo, Norway.
³ Built Environment and Sustainable Technologies (BEST) Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, Henry Cotton Building, 15-21 Webster Street, Liverpool L3 2ET, UK.

PMID: 26086346
DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2015.06.004

Abstract

Microwave spectroscopy has been applied in numerous non-food industry applications, and recently also in the food industry, for non-destructive measurements. In this study, a dry-cured ham model was designed and chemical analyses were performed for determining water activity, water content and salt content (sodium chloride) for all samples. These chemical parameters were also measured using microwave spectroscopy, with a rectangular microwave cavity resonator. Results indicate that microwave spectroscopy may be a promising technique for determination of water activity, salt content and water content in dry-cured ham using either reflected or transmitted signals.

Keywords: Dry-cured ham; Microwave; Salt content; Water activity; Water content.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Desiccation
Food Analysis / methods*
Food Quality*
Meat / analysis*
Meat Products / analysis*
Microwaves*
Muscle, Skeletal / chemistry
Salts / analysis
Spectrum Analysis
Swine
Water / analysis

Substances

Salts
Water