READY-TO-EAT RESTRUCTURED MEAT PRODUCTS WITH PROTEOLYTIC ENZYMES FOR THE ELDERLY: TEXTURAL, RHEOLOGICAL, AND SENSORY PROPERTIES

Population aging is accompanied by physiological changes that impair masticatory function and reduce oral processing efficiency, making texture modification an important strategy to improve meat consumption by older adults. This study evaluated the effect of different papain concentrations (0, 0.01, 0.015, and 0.02%) on the technological properties, instrumental texture, and sensory acceptance of ready-to-eat restructured beef patties (M. semimembranosus). Products were formulated with soy protein isolate and seasonings, cooked to an internal temperature of 72 °C, frozen for 60 days, and reheated before analysis. Cooking yield, instrumental texture (ball compression and Volodkevich probe), physicochemical and microbiological stability, and sensory acceptance by adult and older consumers (≥ 50 years) were evaluated. The sensory evaluation was approved by the Research Ethics Committee (CAAE: 85385424.2.0000.5404), and all participants provided written informed consent before participation. Papain promoted controlled proteolysis of myofibrillar and connective tissue proteins, significantly reducing instrumental hardness and compression force compared with the control. The formulation containing 0.015% papain exhibited the best technological performance, with higher cooking yield, improved water retention, and greater preservation of tenderness throughout frozen storage, without compromising product integrity. In contrast, 0.02% papain resulted in excessive proteolysis, leading to greater exudation and loss of structural cohesion. Sensory evaluation showed that older consumers preferred the formulation containing 0.015% papain, which received significantly higher scores for tenderness, juiciness, and ease of chewing, indicating improved oral comfort and reduced masticatory effort. These findings demonstrate that moderate papain addition effectively modifies the texture of restructured beef products while maintaining technological quality and consumer acceptance. Therefore, the incorporation of 0.015% papain represents a promising strategy for developing texture-modified meat products tailored to the sensory and oral processing needs of the growing older population.