ABSTRACT
References ................................................................................................................................395
19.1 Introduction Meat products constitute a wide variety of products in terms of sensory characteristics. Th eir diversity of colors, fl avors, and textures is due to diff erent traditional practices. Th ere are many different meat products, but in general, meat products are cured by the addition of sodium nitrite and salt along with other additives, such as sugars, certain reducing agents, and appropriate seasonings that impart specifi c properties to the fi nal product. Th ese cured meat products can be grouped in two major groups-dry and wet curing [1]. During dry curing, the meat is mixed or rubbed on the surface with a dry cure containing salt plus nitrate or nitrite and without any added water, followed by a drying stage. Th e most representative products of the dry curing process are dry-cured
ham and dry-fermented sausages. In the wet curing process, a pickle injection or brine solution is used as the vehicle for cure penetration into the meat, and afterwards the meat is cooked to obtain the fi nal sensory characteristics [1].
