Characterization of a lamb ham : fatty acids and volatile compounds composition

The study presents and characterizes a little-known product that is processed manually on the cottage industry scale. The product, called “violino” of lamb, is a cured and matured lamb thighbone of sheep of the Lamon x Bergamasca breed. The sheep graze on pasturelands, and the lambs are weaned at 60–70 days of age. They are then raised out in the field and the pasture feeding is supplemented with a commercial concentrate based on maize and soybean. At 7–8 months the lambs are slaughtered, and the thighs are cured with a curing mixture and ripened for 60 days. The study determined, on the fresh thighs, the proximate composition and fatty acid profile; and on the cured thighs (violino), the proximate composition, fatty acid profile and the volatile composition influenced by curing, salting and spicing. The results revealed the cured ham lamb to have a reduced fat content, a high polyunsaturated fatty acids/saturated fatty acids ratio and a high protein content. The processing, performed completely manually, resulted in a niche product that has the possibility of being produced on a bigger scale, which would favor breeders in that they would profit from being able to sell not just the fresh lamb meat but also a cured end-product. Given the consumer demand for typical products, this lamb ham, known as lamb violino, could be a sought-after product.