We investigated the effects of salting duration (3, 4 or 5 days) on lipid oxidation and the total fatty acid content of muscular fat and subcutaneous fat during the manufacturing of dry-cured lacon, a traditional meat product made in NW Spain from pork foreleg. Two batches of lacon were processed using each salting duration. In each batch, samples were analysed at seven different times throughout the manufacturing process. In each sample, the moisture and NaCl contents, and the peroxide value of the fat and the total fatty acid contents were determined in both the muscular and the subcutaneous fat.

Increasing the salting duration significantly increased lipid oxidation (as indicated by peroxide values), in both the muscular and the subcutaneous fat and at all sampling times throughout the manufacturing process. At the end of the ripening stage, the average peroxide values were 7.69, 17.79 and 21.72 meq. of O₂/kg of subcutaneous fat and 10.78, 24.96 and 26.48 meq. of O₂/kg of muscular fat, in the batches salted for 3, 4 and 5 days, respectively.

Salting duration significantly affected the fatty acid content, particularly that of polyunsaturated fatty acids and the linoleic acid within these. The polyunsaturated fatty acid content of lacon pieces salted for 3 days were significantly higher than those of pieces salted for 4 or 5 days, in both the muscular and subcutaneous fat.