Chemical and fatty acid composition of “Lacón gallego” (dry-cured pork foreleg): differences between external and internal muscles

Chemical and fatty acid composition of external and internal muscles of “Lacón gallego” (dry-cured pork foreleg) have been studied. This product is manufactured in the northwest of Spain from the fore extremity of the pig, following a series of phases, salting, washing, standing and drying, that last approximately 35 days. Significant differences were found between external and internal muscles in dry matter, water activity, TBA, nitrates and nitrites. Lipolysis has been analysed by studying the changes of glycerides, phospholipids and free fatty acids in lipids from green forelegs and dry-cured forelegs. Glycerides accounted for about 72% of total lipids in both green and dry-cured forelegs. Phospholipid content decreased from 23% to 17% while free fatty acid fraction doubled its values (from 5% to 11%) in both external and internal muscles. The proportion of PUFA of phospholipids was significantly lower in dry-cured forelegs compared with the values of green forelegs. The amount of PUFA of free fatty acid fraction of dry-cured pork foreleg was significantly lower in external muscles than in internal muscles; these differences could be due to oxidation of these fatty acids.