Refrigerated hams or frozen/thawed hams
must be carefully controlled when received
at the factory and before further processing.
These hams must be hygienically manipulated
and controlled in order to have a product
with a good shelf life. The water - holding
capacity of the hams used as raw material is
essential in order to minimize the cooking
losses. Water - holding capacity is linked to
the pH of the ham; pH values within the
range 5.8 to 6.2 may assure good water
retention. Incidence of PSE (pale, soft, exudative)
and DFD (dark, fi rm, dry) hams
must be registered. In the case of PSE hams,
they have a low pH value and a low water -
holding capacity that will give higher cooking
losses and drier hams. DFD hams may be
used; their high pH can facilitate water retention
but makes them prone to microbial
growth. These hams are heat - treated, avoiding
risks for microbial growth, but they may
present some preservation problems compared
with normal hams (Toldr á 2006a ).