Novel Japanese-style Mold Fermented Ham

Abstract

This research aimed to study and search the biological and functional properties as well as physiological effects of hydrolysates of Japanese-style mold fermented ham splayed with dried bonito bacteria (Eurotium herbariorum). The fermentation of cured ham was carried out at 20℃ and with humidity with 85% for 10 days. After fermenting, the surface of samples was covered by blue mold. The drying and ripening of fermented ham were carried out at 18℃ and with humidity with 65% until the yield of each samples reduced to 70% (14 days storage), 60% (32 days storage) and 50% (84 days storage). The final pH of these Japanese-style mold fermented hams was about 6. The water activities in Experiment 1 (70% yield), 2 (60% yield) and 3 (50% yield) were 0.878, 0.869 and 0.802, respectively. All samples separately hydrolyzed with pepsin and trypsin. Angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity of the hydrolysates was determined by rabbit lung enzyme. The antioxidant activity of the hydrolysates was determined by the DPPH radical scavenging assay. Hydrolysates of Japanese-style mold fermented hams showed the high ACE inhibitory activity and high DPPH inhibition activity. Free amino acids increased during ripening. Glutamic acid (Glu), aspartic acid (Asp), alanine (Ala), valine (Val), leucine (Leu) and isoleucine (Ile) increased especially. This high level of Glu and Asp seemed to be related to Umami of Japanese-style mold fermented ham. Val, Leu and Ile were related to a sports nutrition.

Based on their remarkable ACE inhibitory activity and antioxidant activity, we suggest that the hydrolysates from Japanese-style mold fermented ham may have potential applications as functional food. These Japanese-style mold fermented hams inoculated with dried bonito bacteria showed the acceptable sensory quality characteristic.