Fig. 1 shows pH and aw of the different batches of sausages
during ripening. The pH values rapidly decreased during the
fermentation stage, from 6.0 to 4.8. Then, pH increased along
ripening as a consequence of the accumulation of compounds
derived from protein breakdown, reaching final values around
5.0 e5.2. In relation to aw, initial values (0.96) fell to approximately
0.89 in the final product. No significant differences (P > 0.05) were
found among batches for both parameters. The pH values observed
were similar to those reported by Gonzalez-Fernandez, Santos,
Rovira, and Jaime (2006) and Herrero, Ordonez, Romero de~ Avila,
Herranz, de la Hoz, & Cambero (2007) in chorizo. On the other
hand, the final aw values were higher than those obtained by the
referred authors, but our results are still within the range considered typical for Mediterranean dry-fermented sausages