ABSTRACTAged country‐style ham quality characteristics were compared among nine hams that had been inoculated with 4.8 × 105cells/g of ham withStaphylococcus epidermidis;three of these same hams received an additional inoculum of 2.7 × 108cells/g of ham ofLactobacillus plantarum, and three recieved an inoculum of 1.7 × 108cells/g of ham ofPediococcus cerevisiae.The experimental design was a 3 × 3 factorial. Thereafter, three dry curing mixtures were applied containing equal ratios of NaNO3to NaNO2, but three levels of salt and sugar were applied to equal numbers of hams from each inoculum combination. Ham quality, as evaluated by objective and subjective methods of analysis, was satisfactory in all hams. However,L. plantarumproduced the most acid, and slightly bitter flavors resulted.P. cerevisiaeappeared to produce invertase, and hams containing lactic acid bacteria had less nitrate remaining after aging than hams injected with staphylococci. High acid production and a lower water activity were probably responsible for the reduced final staphylococcal counts in hams inoculated with lactic acid bacteria. Taste panel scores for acidity were associated with pH and titratable acidity. No ham spoilage occurred in this study, and reduction in processing time appears fea
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