Effect of Proteolytic Enzyme (Papain) Application and Tenderization Techniques on the Textural Properties of M. Biceps Femoris

The tenderization of meat by proteolytic enzymes depends on the nature of the enzyme, its concentration, action time, and also the application technique employed. The primary criterion for choosing the method is the uniformity of enzyme distribution in the tissues. The objective of this study was to evaluate the combination of papain usage at different concentrations (0.01%, 0.02%, and 0.03%) for the improvement of the texture of tough round cuts. The cooked samples were assessed for proximate composition, cooking yield, pH, objective color, hardness, shear force, and instrumental juiciness. The values of moisture, proteins, lipids, and ash showed minor variations and were due to the inherent variability of the meat cut itself. Cooking loss increased significantly in treatments involving papain application, as expected, proteolysis favored water loss in the meat matrix. Conversely, hardness and shear force decreased proportionally with the increase in enzyme content. pH exhibited a slight increase proportionally to the enzyme content. Luminosity and yellowness, similarly, were minimally affected by the enzymatic treatment, whereas the redness index increased in comparison to the control treatment, possibly due to proteolysis favoring greater exposure of myoglobin. Instrumental juiciness decreased in treatments with papain, possibly due to two factors: first, the result of increased water loss during cooking, and second, due to the increased surface area of contact between water and hydrolyzed proteins, resulting in greater water retention during compression. This study concluded that the use of papain at a concentration of 0.01% was sufficient to achieve a significant increase in tenderness. However, it is suggested to assess papain combined with other strategies and/or at lower levels to mitigate cooking yield loss and the observed decrease in juiciness.