Effects of Salt‐Reduced Jinhua Dry‐Cured Ham on Biogenic Amines, Free Amino Acids, and Bacterial Community Composition

ABSTRACT Jinhua ham, a type of dry‐cured ham, is a traditional fermented meat product commonly consumed in Southeast Asia. Salt plays a critical role in its processing; however, excessive salt intake poses potential health risks. This study investigates the effects of varying salt concentrations (6.0%, 5.5%, 5.0%, and 4.5%) on Physicochemical properties (water activity, pH and TVBN), the accumulation of biogenic amines (BAs), the formation of free amino acids (FAAs), and the composition of bacterial communities in Jinhua dry‐cured ham during a 60‐day fermentation period. The results show that, at the genus level, 58 species were identified. Among them, Lactobacillus , Weissella , Staphylococcus , and Pediococcus were the predominant microbial communities during fermentation. The composition of the bacterial community remained relatively stable when the NaCl content decreased from 6.0% to 5.5%. As the salt concentration decreased, the abundance of Pediococcus declined significantly, while Lactobacillus increased. In the 4.5% salt group, the TVBN content was 20 mg/kg, Lactobacillus reached its highest abundance at 40.26%. By day 60, lower salt levels were associated with a rise in total FAA content, which reached 9.83 mg/g in the 4.5% treatment group. Meanwhile, the accumulation of BAs gradually increased, reaching its peak at this stage. In the 4.5% treatment group, cadaverine and putrescine levels were measured at 84.23 mg/kg and 194.28 mg/kg, respectively. Moreover, correlation analysis indicated that BAs production was positively associated with Lactobacillus , Weissella , Staphylococcus , Micrococcus , Enterococcus , and Enterobacter . These findings indicate that the salt content in dry‐cured ham influences the bacterial community and FAA levels, thereby affecting BA production.