Abstract

Cured products are popular in developed countries; however, due to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, associated in part with higher sodium consumption in the human diet, it is convenient to explore alternative food preservation methods without altering the chemical properties of ham. Legs of pigs (corresponding to the pelvic member) from the same batch raised in an extensive production system were processed using the traditional method of cured ham. The left legs were cured using a treatment with NaCl (treatment A), while a mixture of NaCl / KCl (treatment B) was used for the right legs. Changes in weight, Na and K concentration, as well as pH were evaluated and compared at the end of the process. The inclusion of KCl produces a decrease in Na (p < 0.05) and an increase in K (p < 0.05). It was recorded 11.11 ± 1.467% Na and 1.59 ± 0.161% K in treatment A and 8.74 ± 1.156% and 3.89 ± 0.542% K in treatment B. Regarding pH, the values for treatment A were 5.36 ± 0.064 and 5.48 ± 0.101 for treatment B (p > 0.05). This indicates that it would be possible to replace sodium chloride (NaCl) with potassium chloride (KCl) at 25% in the preparation of artisanal ham enables the production of healthier foods for many occasions. This also allows us to replace sodium with other salts without altering the distinctive properties of the final product.