Addition of essential oils and inulin for production of reduced salt and fat ham

It has been estimated that approximately 75% of the human's sodium intake is added during industrial manufacturing. Processed meats can also contain relatively high amounts of saturated fats, and high levels of fat, associated with increased risk of obesity, diabetes and cancers, especially colon cancers. In contrast, dietary fiber intake (ex. inulin) has been associated with health benefits, including a suggested protective effect against colorectal cancer due to an inverse association with colorectal cancer risk. Nutritional and health concerns indicate that consumption of these two elements should be reduced. This study aimed to develop a ham with reduced levels of salt and fat. We added essential oils of oregano and rosemary to preserve the ham as a substitute for fat, for which inulin was also added. Six ham formulations were prepared (control, fat reduction + inulin, salt reduction, salt reduction + essential oils, salt reduction + no fat, and salt reduction + no fat + essential oils). The physical-chemical and microbiological quality parameters were evaluated. The addition of inulin did not interfere with the chemical composition of the formulated ham, presenting itself as a promising alternative for reducing the addition of fat in baked ham. The administration of essential oils in combination caused a significant decrease in native flora of cooked ham. These results suggest that a combination of essential oils and inulin may be a promising alternative in the production of meat products with lower salt and fat levels.