EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT SALT CONTENTS ON SOME QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS DURING PROCESSING OF DRY‐CURED TURKISH PASTIRMA

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study examined the effects of different salt contents (3, 6 and 9%) during process stages on physicochemical, lipid oxidation and microbial quality of a dry‐cured meat product, pastırma, throughout 21 days of processing. Significant changes in moisture content, NaCl content, pH and water activity ( a w ) were observed in pastırma after the third drying and pasting stages. There were significant decreases ( P < 0.05) in objective color characteristics ( L *, a * and b *) between raw material and final product for all pastırma samples. However, no significant effect of salt level ( P > 0.05) was detected on L * and a *. Salt level significantly ( P < 0.05) affected thiobarbituric acid‐reactive substances (TBARS) formation, which was lower in low‐salt pastırma samples, while the combination of salting, drying and pressing stages increased TBARS values in high‐salt pastırma samples. Higher salt content (6% and 9%) and last drying resulted in reduction of microbial count. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Salt (NaCl) is an important agent in inhibiting microbial growth, reducing water activity and imparting a salty taste to dry‐cured meat products such as ham and pastırma. Salt content in pastırma varies from 5% to 10% in the final product and has an impact on product quality parameters. The effects of different NaCl contents (3, 6 and 9%) and processing stages on pH, water activity ( a w ), color parameters, lipid oxidation and microbial count were studied during processing of pastırma. Low‐salt concentration had some negative impacts on pastırma characteristics, giving high a w , pH and microbial count, but low Thiobarbituric acid‐reactive substances value and NaCl content. Drying, pressing and pasting with çemen mixture during pastırma processing had a positive impact on reduction of moisture, a w and microbial count.