Effect of curing salt content on lipid oxidation and volatile flavour compounds of dry-cured turkey ham

Ninety green turkey hams were equally divided into 3 groups and cured with 3 g/100 g, 4 g/100 g or 5 g/100 g salt. Cured hams were then dry-ripened by following the same procedure as dry-cured pig ham with some modifications. The effect of curing salt on lipids' oxidation and volatile compounds formation by dry-cured turkey hams was studied. The TBARS values and the total content of volatile compounds in ripened turkey hams decreased significantly as salt concentration increased (p < 0.05). The amount of curing salt was positively correlated with total aldehydes content (r = 0.982), but negatively correlated with alcohols, ketones and alkanes contents (r = −0.975, −0.649 and −0.807, respectively). Principal component analysis results showed that the first principal component (PC1) was dominated by aldehydes, alkanes and some alcohols, and explained 69% of total variance. These results indicated that reduced curing salt level result in increased formation of flavour-active volatiles in dry-cured turkey hams.

► Turkey hams are processed by a similar procedure to that of dry-cured pork hams. ► Effect of curing salt on TBARS and volatile compounds of turkey hams were studied. ► Aldehydes, alkanes and some alcohols were the main compounds of overall flavour. ► Lower curing salt increased flavour-active volatiles' formation of ripened turkey ham.