The effect of different concentrations of sodium caseinate in the sensory properties of "cook-in" ham was studied. In each of four replications, twenty ''cook-in" hams were randomly designed to one of five treatment groups in which the curing brine formulation was pumped 20% of their respectivo weights for all treatments. The basic brine composition was 0.5% phosphate; 2.0% salt; 0.4% curing salts; 0.66% ham condiment and 0.25% ascorbate, the processing conditions were the same for all treatments, but there was used different concentrations of sodium caseinate. (0.0%; 0.5%; 1.0% and 1.5%). Samples were removed for pH analysis. Tumbling losses, cooking losses and yield were calculated. Sensory properties of processed "cook-in'' hams were evaluated. The pH haven't a significative effect, because the brine was adjusted to pH 9,0 for all treatments. The hams treated with 1.0% sodium caseinate showed the greatest overall acceptability and the greatest cooking losses too. The hams treated with 0.5% sodim caseinate showed the less cooking losses and reasonable overall acceptability.
sodium caseinate; brine; sensory properdes; "cook-in" ham
