Color is one of the most important factors of sensory quality of meat products to attract consumers. In meat and meat products, myoglobin compounds in a natural form or ligand with other additives mainly contribute the pigments. Nitrosomyoglobin is the main pigment of cooked ham, while Zn-protoporphyrin (ZnPP) is that of dry-cured ham. The nitrite related myoglobin is not referred because of the cancer risks of created nitrosamines. |