Cooked Ham 303
added as the main preservative. The genera-
tion of nitric oxide assures the preservation
but also contributes to the formation of the
typical pink color. Sodium ascorbate or
sodium erythorbate may be added to assure
rapid nitrite disappearance and avoid the
potential generation of nitrosamines. Other
ingredients may be added to the brine,
depending on the desired fi nal quality of the
hams. For instance, different amounts of
phosphates, polyphosphates, or pyrophos-
phates can be added to increase the amount
of retained water; these amounts are regu-
lated and controlled. Phosphates increase
the pH of the ham, far from the isoelectric
point of meat proteins, but also increase
the ionic strength and contribute to protein
solubilization.
The brine is injected into both boneless
hams and bone - in hams through multineedle
systems. Pumping speed and volume of
injection are controlled. The brine favors the
binding of muscles and protein solubiliza-
tion, and it gives a better yield and a higher
fi nal weight. After the brine injection, the
current practice is to hold the hams for resting
for a brief period of time to help the diffusion
of salt and additives throughout the entire
piece.
Massaging and/or Tumbling
This is a mechanical operation operated
under refrigeration conditions that aims to
distribute the brine through the entire piece
and to extract the meat proteins from the
fi bers. In this way, a uniform distribution of
ingredients like sodium chloride, nitrite,
sugars, and spices may be achieved. This
operation also facilitates improved tender-
ness and juiciness. Hams can be either mas-
saged or tumbled. Massaging consists of
holding hams in mixers for a few hours under
mild agitation (low - speed paddles) to avoid
physical disruption or damage to the full
muscles โ appearance. During tumbling, hams
are located inside rotary tumblers that operate
ham. The skin is removed as well as the bone
(optional), since hams may be cooked as
entire pieces or after boning, which facili-
tates the brine injection and diffusion.
Brine Injection
Salt is the main ingredient of brines, and its
amount varies depending on the type of
product. Final salt amounts in cooked hams
are around 2%. Salt can be accompanied by
sugars such as sucrose, dextrose, or corn
syrup, to give a pleasant mild taste. Nitrite is
Refrigerated ham
Frozen/thawed ham
Resting
Injection
Tumbling/massaging
Canning
Resting
Thermal treatment
Reception and control
Curing
and brine
Cooling
Final product to consumer
Slicing
Packaging
Slicing Full piece
Figure 16.1. Process fl ow diagram for the process-
ing of cooked hams (Toldr รก 2007 ).