Dry-cured ham restructured with fibrin

The viability of a fibrinogen-thrombin system (FT) to bind fresh deboned hams for incorporation in the salting and ripening processes, to produce cured ham, was studied. The effects of the different processing variables (pH, NaCI concentration, temperature and gelation time) on Fr, a meat emulsion mixed with Fr, fresh pork portions and deboned hams restructured with FT were analyzed. The most stable and firmest fibrin gels were obtained after 6 h of adding the Fr, with less than 2% NaCI and pH 7-8.4. Scanning electron microscopy of the fibrin gel showed fibrillar structures with a high degree of cross-linking and a high density. Two structures were found in the binding area of restructured meat; one in the central part with similar characteristics to fibrin gels and, another in the area of contact between the meat surfaces, where a filamentous structure connected the fibrin gels with the muscle bundles. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.