Tenderization of buffalo meat using plant proteases from Cucumis trigonus Roxb (Kachri) and Zingiber officinale roscoe (Ginger rhizome)

• Published in: Meat science Vol. 68; no. 3; pp. 363 - 369
• Main Authors: Naveena, B.M, Mendiratta, S.K, Anjaneyulu, A.S.R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-11-2004; Elsevier
• Subjects: appearance (quality); Aroma and flavouring agent industries; Biological and medical sciences; Buffalo meat; collagen; cooking quality; crude protein; Cucumis; enzymatic hydrolysis; enzymatic treatment; flavor; food acceptability; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; ginger; hydroxyproline; juiciness; Meat and meat product industries; meat quality; meat tenderness; papain; plant extracts; plant proteins; proteinases; Proteolytic enzymes; sensory evaluation; shear strength; Tenderization; tenderizing; water content; water holding capacity; Zingiber officinale; Tenderization; Buffalo meat; Proteolytic enzymes; Monocotyledones; Spice; Meat product; Ginger; Meat; Angiospermae; Rhizome; Tenderness; Spermatophyta; Zingiber officinale; Zingiberaceae
• ISSN: 0309-1740; 1873-4138
• DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2004.04.004

This study was conducted to develop a method for improving tenderness and overall qualities of tough buffalo meat using plant proteolytic enzymes from
Cucumis trigonus Roxb (Kachri) and
Zingiber officinale roscoe (Ginger rhizome). Their tenderizing efficacy was compared with the most popular enzyme papain. 3
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3
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3 cm chunks from
Biceps femoris muscles of spent Murrah buffaloes (4–5 years age) were marinated with distilled water (control), 2% (w/w) powdered cucumis extract, 5% (w/v) ginger extract or 0.2% (w/w) papain for 48 h at 4 °C and subjected to various physico-chemical, histological and sensory evaluations. An increase (
p<0.01) in collagen solubility, sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar protein solubility, and reduction (
p<0.01) in shear force values were observed in all enzyme-treated samples compared to control. Electrophoretic pattern of muscle proteins also revealed extensive proteolysis and reduction in number of protein bands in all treated samples. Improvement (
p<0.01) in flavor, juiciness, tenderness and overall acceptability scores were observed in all enzyme-treated samples compared to controls. Ginger extract-treated meat samples received better scores for appearance, flavor, tenderness and overall acceptability. From these results, it is shown that ginger and cucumis can be used as an effective alternative to papain.