Table 5. pH, saltiness, color, microbial counts, shear force value (kgf/g), weight loss (%) and cholesterol contents (mg/100 g) of fermented hams as affected by starter culture and ripening time

Ripening Bathces1 Ripening time (d)

A B 0 7 14 21
pH 5.42 5.38 5.43 5.34 5.39 5.44
Saltiness 4.47 4.20 2.55c 3.61b 5.40a 5.78a
Lightness 51.91 51.78 56.81a 51.91b 49.47b 49.19b
Redness 3.92 3.68 2.99b 3.87a 4.14a 4.19a
Yellowness 1.93 2.03 1.24b 2.23a 2.49a 1.96a
TPCd 7.00b 7.90a 6.98 7.71 7.82 7.30
MRSe 6.86b 7.77a 6.70 7.64 7.76 7.16
VRBf <2 <2 <2 <2 <2 <2
Weight loss 39.85 42.27 - 33.32b 43.35a 46.52a
Shear force 9.00 9.09 - 5.25c 9.34b 12.56a
Cholesterol 70.16 67.95 48.20b 59.90b 81.85a 79.82a