Sustainability of biodiversity by valorization of Sarda breed goat dry hams

Goat farming is a very important resource, expecially in marginal and unlikely exploitable Mediterranean areas. They are extensively reared, mainly for milk production and for suckling kids meat. The meat from adult goats instead is not profitable, because of its very low commercial value. The transformation of the Sarda goat (native breed) meat in ripened products (ham) would contribute to safeguard the Sardinian goat supply chain. In the present study, in order to characterize the Sarda breed goat dry ham, five batches (L1–L5), processed in a traditional plant, were analyzed. The chemical-physical characteristics were determined in the following stages: fresh ham (MP), after salting (S), after drying (E) and at the end of ripening (P). The microbiological parameters were determined in MP and in P. The dynamics of pH during processing were similar to those of cured meat products (in P: 6.58±0.26). The aw value decreased during the processing up to 0.79±0.03. Regarding the microbiological parameters, in P the coagulase negative Staphylococci were the prevalent flora (4.38±1.08 Log10 cfu/g), followed by the Lactic acid bacteria (2.46±1.00). The Moulds and Yeasts were not constant and the presence of pathogens was not highlighted.