Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
12
Enzymes in meat processing
Raija Lantto, Kristiina Kruus, Eero Puolanne,
Kaisu Honkapaa, Katariina Roininen and
Johanna Buchert
12.1
INTRODUCTION
Consumers' demands for high quality and moderate price meat products have been the
driving forces to develop enzymatic methods to add value to lower quality meat piece, thus
maximizing the efficiency of carcass utilization and of course improving the market value.
In the meat industry, there are two distinct applications in which enzymes can markedly
boost the manufacturing process and upgrade meats of poorer quality. These applications
are tenderization of too tough meat parts and restructuring of fresh low-value meat pieces
and trimmings to higher quality steaks. This chapter reviews those commercially available
enzymes, that are already exploited in meat industry. In addition, the potential of several
novel enzymes not yet marketed for meat processing use is discussed.
In meat industry and catering predominantly protein-degrading enzymes have been used.
Of the protein cross-linking enzymes, transglutaminases (TGase) have been used as texture
improvers already for several years. In addition to these, novel enzymes are discovered and
their application potential assessed as well as novel applications for already known enzymes
are developed. Structure engineering by oxidative enzymes and flavour design by lipases,
glutaminases, proteases and peptidases are examples of emerging enzyme technologies in
the food sector.
12.2
MEAT AS RAW MATERIAL
The composition of animals varies significantly, depending on species, breed and method
of production, mostly feeding. The relative amounts of muscles, bones, fat and edible offal
or inedible by-products obtained vary due to slaughtering methods and cultural reasons. As
an example, blood or stomach and several other organs are in some countries used as feed
ingredients and in some others partly as food. The way meat is consumed also varies greatly
throughout the world.
The world meat production has increased tremendously during the last few decades,
particularly in the developing countries.
1
The total meat production has risen, for example
from 70 million tons in 1961 to 272 million tons in 2006, and the increase is expected to
continue to 327 million tons till 2020.
