Vitamin (B1, B2, B3 and B6) content and oxidative stability of Gastrocnemius muscle from dry-cured hams elaborated with different nitrifying salt contents and by two ageing times

• Published in: Meat science 2013-11, Vol.95 (3), p.647-651
• Main Authors: Gratacós-Cubarsí, M., Sárraga, C., Castellari, M., Guàrdia, M.D., Regueiro, J.A. García, Arnau, J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antioxidant enzymes; Antioxidants - metabolism; Ascorbic Acid; Catalase - metabolism; Dry-cured ham; Food Handling - methods; Glutathione Peroxidase - metabolism; Meat - analysis; Muscle, Skeletal - metabolism; Nitrate; Nitrates; Nitrite; Nitrites; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxidative stability; Salts; Superoxide Dismutase - metabolism; Swine; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; Vitamin B Complex - analysis; Vitamins
• ISSN: 0309-1740; 1873-4138
• DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2013.06.007

The effect of the amount of added nitrate and nitrate plus nitrite to dry-cured hams on the vitamin (B1, B2, B3, B6) content, the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) activities and the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) was assessed in Gastrocnemius muscle at the end of two ripening processes. Five different curing mixtures (Hi–N: 600 KNO3; Lo–N: 150 KNO3; Hi–Mix: 600 KNO3+600 NaNO2; Lo–Mix: 150 KNO3+150 NaNO2; Hi–Mix/Asc: 600 KNO3+600 NaNO2+500 sodium ascorbate, expressed as mg of salts added on surface per kg of fresh ham) were evaluated in dry-cured hams aged for 11.5months (standard process, SP) and 22months (long process, LP). Minor differences in target parameters between the hams due to the process were found. The amount of nitrate when it was added alone or as a mixture of nitrate and nitrite, as well as the ascorbate addition to dry-cured hams did not affect vitamin B1, B2 and B3 contents. The level of vitamin B6 was affected by both the amount and the mixture of salts; the addition of nitrite reduced around 40% the content of vitamin B6, but it was not affected by nitrate or ascorbate. The activity of SOD and CAT decreased with the amount of nitrate and nitrite, while GSHPx and TBARS resulted unaffected. •Effects of nitrifying salts in vitamin Bs and oxidative status of dry-cured ham.•Vitamins B1, B2, B3, TBARS and GSHPx were unaffected by nitrifying salts content.•Vitamin B6 content was reduced when a mixture of nitrate and nitrite was used.•Vitamin B6 was not affected by nitrate or ascorbate addition.•SOD and CAT activities decreased when the amount of nitrifying salts decreased.