An Analysis of Changes in the Physicochemical and Mechanical Properties during the Storage of Smoked and Mould Salamis Made in Poland

The aim of the study was to analyse changes in the physicochemical, rheological, and textural properties occurring during the storage of industrially produced smoked salami and mould salami. Tests on these cold cuts were conducted on the 2nd, 15th, 30th, and 45th days of storage. There was a significant increase in the pH value of the mould salami from 5.16 on the 2nd day to 5.42 on the 45th day (p < 0.05). There was a downward trend in the A(w) of the smoked salami sample from 0.892 on the 2nd day to 0.873 on the 45th day. The A(w) in the mould salami sample decreased from 0.889 on the 2nd day to 0.847 on the 15th day and then increased to 0.871 on the 45th day (p < 0.05). In the first two test periods, the smoked salami was characterised by a higher modulus of elasticity value than the non-smoked salami but lower loss tangent and dynamic viscosity values. The hardness of the whole bars, as well as the hardness of the salami pieces, was affected by their storage time and the related water content. The texture test results showed that the smoked salami was more resistant to compressive force than the mould salami, which affected the sensory evaluation and ease of slicing of this type of salami.