title: Characterisation of kiwifruit and asparagus enzyme extracts, and their activities toward meat proteins.
abstract: Two plant enzyme extracts from kiwifruit and asparagus were evaluated for their ability to hydrolyse commercially available substrates and proteins present in both beef connective tissue and topside myofibrillar extracts. The results show significant differences in protease activity depending on the assay used. Protease assays with connective tissue and meat myofibrillar extracts provide a more realistic evaluation of the potential of the enzymes for application in meat tenderization. Overall, the kiwifruit protease extract was found to be more effective at hydrolysing myofibrillar and collagen proteins than the asparagus protease extract. The two protease extracts appeared to target meat myofibrillar and collagen proteins differently, suggesting the potential of a synergistic effect of these proteases in improving the tenderness of specific cuts of meat, based on their intrinsic protein composition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Minh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Alaa El-Din
authors.initials: Ael-D
authors.lastname: Bekhit
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carne
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Hopkins
mesh_terms: D029042:Actinidia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology*; D000818:Animals; D027761:Asparagus Plant / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology*; D002417:Cattle; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006868:Hydrolysis; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry; D010206:Papain / Q000737:chemistry*; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012982:Sodium, Dietary
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D012982:Sodium, Dietary; C032508:meat tenderizer; D003094:Collagen; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D010206:Papain