Effects of region and ripening on the physicochemical properties, microbiome, metabolome, and volatilome of Chinese dry-cured ham.

ABSTRACT: Long-term ripened dry-cured ham is popular across China, but the mechanisms by which production region and ripening time regulate its quality remain incompletely understood. Therefore, the temporal dynamics of multi-dimensional characteristics of Zhejiang Jinhua, Yunnan Xuanwei, and Guizhou Panxian hams were explored. Results showed decreased moisture and fat but increased pH, NaCl, protein, and amino acid nitrogen with prolonged ripening. Bacterial α-diversity and fungal β-diversity were closely related to ripening and region, respectively, while the relative abundance of dominant genera (Staphylococcus, Kocuria, Aspergillus, and Debaryomyces) varied by both factors. GC-TOF-MS and GC-IMS detected 76 non-volatile metabolites (predominantly amino acids and their

SUBMITTER: Mu Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12816831 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature