###### Abstract
In the specific case of the pork sector, NIR spectroscopy has been successfully applied for the prediction of meat composition parameters such as protein, fat, and moisture [14]; intramuscular fat [15] and Warner-Bratzler shear force [16]; and pH and color values [17]. However, it has not proved useful for the prediction of drip loss on intact carcasses [15]. In pork meat derivatives, this technology has been applied to predict fat, moisture, and protein in chopped pork sausage mixes [18] and sodium content in commercial meat products [19] among other applications. In the Spanish meat sector, Iberian pork is known for its distinctive quality and flavor, influenced by factors such as genetics, rearing systems, and especially feed, which may be based on fodder or the _montanera_ system, i.e., free grazing with the consumption of acorns and grass [20]. This combination makes Iberian ham a product highly appreciated by consumers, 100% Iberian acorn-fed being the most preferred [21]. Portable NIR instruments have been used in Iberian pork to classify individual carcasses by feeding regime [2], to discriminate animals by fat content and fatty acid profile [22], to classify animals according to legal standards and requirements [23] and for the analysis of the fatty acid content of individual carcasses of Iberian pigs [24;25]. Among the meat derivatives of the Iberian pig, Iberian ham is highly valued both nationally and internationally. The portable equipment has already been applied to classify Iberian ham according to commercial categories [26], pig breed [27], and NaCl content [28]. The determination of the fatty acid composition is commonly used to assess both the quality and authenticity of Iberian ham [29]. This determination is usually carried out by gas chromatography, which is a slow method and involves the use of chemical reagents. The application of NIR technology in the determination of this parameter would be particularly interesting to reduce the time and cost of analysis. The present work aims to evaluate the suitability of different portable NIR spectrometers for the quantification of fatty acid composition in Iberian pork hams. For this purpose, four different portable devices and one benchtop instrument, differentiated by the implemented optical solutions and distinct spectral working ranges, have been evaluated and compared based on their analytical performance in this application. The spectral measurements have been carried out on both the muscle and fat of the ham, with both used separately for the development of predictive models. The hypothesis of this study is that miniaturized NIR devices can perform comparably to benchtop models in fatty acid prediction. The identification of the most suitable equipment for this analysis is of great importance not only from a research point of view, pushing the frontier of the application of modern miniaturized sensors combined with artificial intelligence, but also for the production sector itself. On-site NIR technology is already being adapted as an in-line analysis tool; the method for the determination of fatty acids as proposed in this work is readily suited to be easily implemented to deliver additional important quality parameters in routine industrial analysis.