Brine enriched with olive wastewater phenols: a green strategy to reduce nitrites in cooked ham

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of brine enriched with an olive vegetation water (OVW) extract on the physico-chemical, oxidative and sensory characteristics of cooked ham during storage, as a strategy to partially or totally replace nitrites. Four brines formulated with different concentrations of nitrites in combination with 200 mg of OVW extract/kg product were tested; the cooked ham samples were sliced, placed in trays, packed in a protective atmosphere and monitored for 30 days at 4°C. The results showed that phenolic compounds derived from OVW effectively reduced lipid and protein oxidation, limiting the formation of secondary oxidation products such as thi-obarbituric acid reactive substances, volatile aldehydes and cholesterol oxides. Sensory analysis confirmed that the extract did not negatively affect the organoleptic proper-ties of the ham, while also helping to preserve color stability. These findings suggest that brine enriched with OVW phenols can be a promising green strategy to reduce ni-trites in cooked ham, which also promotes the sustainable valorization of olive oil by-products.