Biochemical and sensory properties of dry-cured loins as affected by partial replacement of sodium by potassium, calcium, and magnesium.

An attempt to decrease the NaCl content in dry-cured products through the use of three different salting treatments (II: 55% NaCl, 25% KCl, 15% CaCl(2), 5% MgCl(2); III: 45% NaCl, 25% KCl, 20% CaCl(2), 10% MgCl(2); and IV: 30% NaCl, 50% KCl, 15% CaCl(2), 5% MgCl(2)) in comparison to a control (I: 100% NaCl) was assayed to evaluate the biochemical and sensory characteristics in the final product. Most proteolytic enzyme activities from the loins submitted to the experimental salting treatments, especially treatments II and IV, remained higher than those salted traditionally (control). The higher aminopeptidase activity was also reflected in a larger release of free amino acids. Finally, a sensory paired comparison test revealed that those loins salted with the treatment II were not significantly different from the loins salted traditionally (100% NaCl), so that this treatment could be successfully used for sodium reduction.