The standard deviations of TPA parameter values were high
because of the moisture distribution in central and lateral locations
of dried meat products due to different level of drying at these
points. Freeze dried control samples (C1) had significantly lower
hardness values than highly salted samples (S2) as shown in Fig. 1.
Increasing salt level enhanced hardness as it is indicated by higher
hardness of SP2 samples than hardness of SP1 samples (P < 0.05).
Ruiz-Ramírez, Arnau, et al. (2005) also found that air dried and
cured muscles with higher salt content had higher hardness value
than muscles with low salt content.