Abstract
Atka mackerel meats cured with 0.5-2.0M NaCl containing 20mM Tris-acetate (pH 7.0) were incubated at 15°C, 30°C and 50°C and in 60% relative humidity for 0-16 hours, and their drying characteristics and textural change during drying at different temperatures were simultaneously investigated. Slow moisture vaporization occurred at the initial drying period and the critical moisture content significantly decreased with an increase in the NaCl content of cured meats. In addition, the reduction of the drying rate in the later drying period was suppressed when 0.5mol/kg of NaCl were contained in the cured meats. Furthermore, at 15°C and 30°C drying, the increase in the shear force of dried products with the decrease in the moisture content was effectively suppressed by the curing with NaCl. Such changes in the drying characteristics and texture would contribute to depression of the excess hardening and obtaining a long shelf-life of dried products.
