LIU Shuyun, WANG Guiying, GU Dahai, WANG Xuefeng, XU Zhiqiang, FAN Jiangping, PU Yuehong, GE Changrong, LIAO Guozhou
The levels of free fatty acids in five varieties of Yunnan dry-cured ham—Xuanwei ham, Nuodeng ham, Heqing ham, Saba ham and Sanchuan ham were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). 16 kinds of free fatty acids were detected in these 5 different hams. Palmitic acid (C16∶0), stearic acid (C18∶0), oleic acid (C18∶1, n-3), and linoleic acid (C18∶2) were the major fatty acids present in these hams. Significant differences in free fatty acids were found among the types as well as the parts of hams (P<0.05). Nuodeng ham and Sanchuan ham had the highest amount of free fatty acids. The total amount of free fatty acids in muscle and subcutaneous fat of Nuodeng, Sanchuan, Saba, Xuanwei, and Heqing hams was 40.378 mg/g, 79.959 mg/g, 42.336 mg/g, 77.548 mg/g, 30.147 mg/g, 62.049 mg/g, 28.446 mg/g, 62.078 mg/g, 27.361 mg/g, and 55.953 mg/g, respectively. The unsaturated fatty acid content and the proportion of essential fatty acids of Nuodeng and Sanchuan hams were also the highest, therefore, the fat composition of Nuodeng ham and Sanchuan ham were more reasonable.