Colour and Moisture Changes during the Manufacture of Iberian Dry-Cured Ham Caused by Some Biotic and Abiotic Factors

The effects of some biotic (pig-rearing system and muscle location) and abiotic factors (processing time and drying location) on colour ( L*, a* and b*) and moisture changes during the manufacture of Iberian ham were studied. The levels of L* (from 27.14 to 44.44), a* (from 6.10 to 19.84) and b* (from 2.18 to 8.72) parameters, and moisture (from 31.71 to 75.04) decreased ( p 0.05) as processing time increased. L*, a* and b* were strongly influenced by muscle location and their values were smaller ( p 0.05) in semimembranosus than in biceps femoris, as occurred with moisture. The rearing system produced differences ( p 0.05) in a* at the first stage and in L* and b* at the final stage of processing. Drying location, probably in association with natural climatic conditions, caused differences ( p 0.05) at only the final stage of processing in a* and b* parameters. The variations in colour parameters were mainly affected by rearing system and muscle location.