Study on Bacterial Community Changes and Volatile Flavor Correlation During Fermentation of Low‐Salt Dry‐Cured Ham

The aim of this work is to elucidate the effects of reduced salt content on the microbial ecology and flavor profile of dry‐cured ham. To develop the low‐salt (LS) treatment group, a curing mixture consisting of 18% potassium lactate, 12% lysine, and 70% sodium chloride was utilized instead of traditional curing salts. On the other hand, the standard protocol for curing the control group (CK) involved the use of 100% sodium chloride. The results demonstrate that the ham in the LS group had a noteworthy 9.01% increase in protein content when compared to the ham in the CK group. Through SPME‐GC‐MS analysis, 40 distinct types of volatile compounds were identified. The LS group had a much higher nonanal content, which improved the ham’s flavor and rose aroma. Illumina Miseq sequencing indicates that the genus Staphylococcus is the most common microbial genus at the late ripening stage of dry‐cured ham. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that Staphylococcus had a significant relationship with the C18:0 concentration and was substantially linked with most metabolites. Finally, instead of utilizing the standard 30% sodium chloride, it is recommended to process dry‐cured ham using a formulation that comprises 18% potassium lactate, 12% lysine, and 70% sodium chloride. It is anticipated that this substitution will result in a higher production of volatile compounds and Staphylococcus , which will enhance the overall quality and flavor profile of the finished product.