Effect of high pressure processing on cholesterol oxidation products in vacuum packaged sliced dry-cured ham

The effect of high pressure processing (at 600 and 900 MPa) on cholesterol oxidation products has been studied in vacuum packaged sliced dry-cured ham. Pressurisation of dry-cured ham at 600 MPa did not show changes in the contents of cholesterol oxidation products. However, the effect of pressurisation at 900 MPa produced a significant increase in the contents of 7α-hydroxycholesterol, 7β-hydroxycholesterol, β-epoxycholesterol, α-epoxycholesterol, 25-hydroxycholesterol and 7-ketocholesterol. In view of the results, at the pressure of 900 MPa, a strong damage of membrane could be produced and the potential production of harmful compounds in dry-cured ham as it was observed for cholesterol oxidation products.