Lipolytic and oxidative changes in Iberian dry-cured loin

Area of Science:

• Meat Science
• Food Chemistry
• Animal Science

Background:

• Dry-cured pork products are popular globally.
• Understanding lipid transformations during dry-curing is crucial for quality control.
• Iberian pigs are a key breed for high-value cured meat production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the fatty acid composition of neutral lipids (NL), polar lipids (PL), and free fatty acids (FFA) in fresh and dry-cured Iberian pig loins.
• To evaluate lipid oxidation indices in dry-cured loins.
• To investigate the influence of genetic lines and rearing systems on lipid profiles and oxidation.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of fatty acid composition in NL, PL, and FFA fractions of fresh and dry-cured loins.
• Measurement of lipid oxidation markers: hexanal, TBARS, and rancid flavor.
• Statistical analysis including PCA and Pearson's correlation to assess relationships between variables.

Main Results:

• A significant decrease in total fatty acids, particularly in PL (89.77%), was observed during dry-curing.
• The fatty acid profile of FFA in dry-cured loins resembled that of NL in fresh loins.
• Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) were the most abundant FFA, followed by saturated fatty acids (SFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA).
• Neither genetic line nor rearing system significantly affected the decrease of fatty acids.
• Despite substantial PUFA reduction, oxidative indices did not increase, and no clear correlation was found between lipolytic changes and oxidation.

Conclusions:

• Dry-curing of Iberian pig loins leads to significant lipid modifications, primarily a reduction in fatty acids within polar lipids.
• The observed lipolytic changes do not necessarily result in increased lipid oxidation, suggesting a degree of oxidative stability in the dry-cured product.
• Genetic factors and rearing systems had no significant impact on the studied lipid changes and oxidation levels in this cohort.