Measurement of the antioxidant peptide content of six commercial dry-cured hams each from a different processor showed a wide range of peptide concentrations and antioxidant activity, but no clear association with processing variables such as drying and aging time, smoke application or cooking treatments. Thus, while the dry-curing process for hams has potential to result in significant production of antioxidant peptides, specific processing conditions considered in this study do not appear to affect production of these peptides.