Quality Traits of Iberian Dry-Cured as Affected by Pre-Cure Freezing Practice.

The seasonality to which dry-cured products from Iberian breed pigs finished in (free-range rearing system with feed based exclusively on ad libitum consumption of natural resources; acorns and grass) are subjected could be overcome by pre-cure freezing. Three sets of Iberian ( muscle)( = 15) were established to assess the impact of frozen storage -0, or non-frozen, 3 and 6 months-previous to the technological process of curing-on the quality traits of the dry-cured product Iberian dry-cured . Similar seasoning and curing processing conditions were applied to all sets. Lower productive performance due to higher weight loss during curing, and lower colour intensity were observed in pre-frozen dry-cured . The fatty acid profile was more saturated, and the oxidative status increased as a result of pre-cure freezing. On the matter of texture, all parameters were modified, highlighting the higher values of hardness and shear force of pre-frozen dry-cured . The time that raw material was frozen exerted a slight, thus helping manufacturers to better address the gap between industry and consumer demand with minimal effect on quality traits.