JPH10327810A - Softener for flesh and processing flesh - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a softener for flesh capable of selectively decomposing and softening only connective tissues of a low grade flesh by using a specific enzyme. SOLUTION: This enzyme is obtained by adjusting the pH of a crude enzyme which is extracted from midgut of shellfishes, to 4-6. The flesh is processed by acting this enzyme to the flesh at the optimum temperature, 37 deg.C, then heat processing to inactivate the enzyme. The crude enzyme is obtained from, for example, midgut of scallops, the adjustment of the pH is carried out by sodium phosphate buffer solution.

Description

【発明の詳細な説明】DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

【０００１】[0001]

【発明の属する技術分野】本発明は、食肉用軟化剤及び
これを使用する食肉の処理方法に関し、特に、結合組織
を多く含む低品位の食肉の結合組織のみを選択的に分解
軟化することのできる食肉用軟化剤及び食肉の処理方法
に関する。BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a meat tenderizer and a method for treating meat using the same, and more particularly, to selectively decomposing and softening only the connective tissue of low-grade meat containing a large amount of connective tissue. The present invention relates to a meat tenderizer and a method for treating meat.

【０００２】[0002]

【従来の技術】食肉の硬さの要因には、筋原繊維タンパ
ク質と結合組織の二種類が関与している。筋原繊維タン
パク質は熟成によって分解軟化するが、結合組織は熟成
によっては殆ど軟化しない。2. Description of the Related Art Two factors, myofibrillar protein and connective tissue, are involved in the factor of meat hardness. Myofibrillar proteins degrade and soften with aging, but connective tissue hardly softens with aging.

【０００３】硬くて食べるのに困難な低品位の食肉に
は、結合組織が多く含まれているが、このような硬い肉
を軟化するために、従来はパパイン，ブロメラインなど
のタンパク質分解酵素を用いていた。[0003] Low-grade meat, which is hard and difficult to eat, contains a large amount of connective tissue. To soften such hard meat, conventionally, a protease such as papain or bromelain has been used. I was

【０００４】[0004]

【発明が解決しようとする課題】しかし、従来の上記の
ようなタンパク質分解酵素は基質特異性が低いため、食
肉の結合組織だけでなく筋原繊維タンパク質をも過剰に
分解するため、食肉本来の食感が失われるという問題点
があった。However, since the above-mentioned conventional protease has low substrate specificity, it excessively degrades not only the connective tissue of meat but also myofibrillar proteins. There was a problem that texture was lost.

【０００５】[0005]

【課題を解決するための手段】本発明は、上記のような
従来の問題点を解決するために成されたもので、食肉の
結合組織のみを選択的に分解軟化せしめることにより、
柔らかで且つ食肉本来の食感が失われることのない食肉
用軟化剤及びこれを使用する食肉の処理方法を提供する
ことを目的としたものであり、その要旨は、貝類の中腸
腺より抽出した粗酵素をｐＨ４〜６に調整してなること
を特徴とする食肉用軟化剤及びこの食肉用軟化剤により
食肉を処理し、その後前記食肉用軟化剤の酵素を失活さ
せることを特徴とする食肉の処理方法にある。DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and is intended to selectively decompose and soften only the connective tissue of meat.
An object of the present invention is to provide a meat tenderizer which is soft and does not lose the original texture of meat and a method for treating meat using the same. A meat softener characterized by adjusting the pH of the crude enzyme to pH 4 to 6, and treating the meat with the meat softener, and thereafter inactivating the enzyme of the meat softener. The method of processing meat.

【０００６】[0006]

【発明の実施の形態】本発明は、食肉の結合組織のみを
選択的に分解軟化せしめる食肉用軟化剤と、この食肉用
軟化剤を使用した食肉の処理方法である。そこで、先ず
食肉用軟化剤について以下実施例により詳細に説明し、
次にこの食肉用軟化剤を使用する食肉の処理方法につい
て詳細に説明する。DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention is a meat softener for selectively decomposing and softening only the connective tissue of meat, and a method for treating meat using the meat softener. Therefore, first, the meat tenderizer will be described in detail in the following examples,
Next, a method for treating meat using the meat tenderizer will be described in detail.

【０００７】本発明に係る食肉用軟化剤は、比較的精製
が容易であるホタテ貝の中腸腺から以下に述べる方法で
精製した。すなわち、冷凍されたホタテ貝の中腸腺を常
法によりアセトンパウダーとし、これをタンパク質分解
酵素阻害剤（１０ｍＭ ＥＤＴＡ、０．１Ｍ ε−アミ
ノ−ｎ−カプロン酸、５ｍＭベンズアミジン塩酸塩、１
０ｍＭ Ｎ−エチルマレイミド）を含む１０ｍＭりん酸
ナトリウム緩衝液（ｐＨ７．０）で抽出する。そして、
この抽出液に０．２％になるようプロタミン硫酸溶液
（ｐＨ７．０）を加え、１５分間放置後、遠心分離を行
った。この遠心分離は４℃１２０００×ｇ、３０分の条
件で行ったThe meat tenderizer according to the present invention was purified from the midgut gland of the scallop, which is relatively easy to purify, by the method described below. That is, the midgut gland of frozen scallop was converted into acetone powder by a conventional method, and this was used as a protease inhibitor (10 mM EDTA, 0.1 M ε-amino-n-caproic acid, 5 mM benzamidine hydrochloride,
Extract with 10 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) containing 0 mM N-ethylmaleimide). And
A protamine sulfate solution (pH 7.0) was added to this extract so that the concentration became 0.2%, and the mixture was left for 15 minutes, followed by centrifugation. This centrifugation was performed at 4 ° C. and 12,000 × g for 30 minutes.

【０００８】前記遠心分離によって分離された上清に、
５０％飽和となるように硫安を加えて１時間静置し、遠
心分離した後、その上清に７０％飽和となるように硫安
を追加し、１時間放置した。遠心分離によりその沈殿画
分を回収し、この沈殿物を１０ｍＭりん酸ナトリウム緩
衝液（ｐＨ７．０）に溶解した。[0008] In the supernatant separated by the centrifugation,
Ammonium sulfate was added to 50% saturation and left for 1 hour. After centrifugation, ammonium sulfate was added to the supernatant to 70% saturation and left for 1 hour. The precipitate fraction was collected by centrifugation, and the precipitate was dissolved in a 10 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0).

【０００９】緩衝液に溶解したこの酵素液をスーパーロ
ーズ１２ｐｇ（１．６×６０cm：ファルマシア社製）の
カラムに添加し、上記１０ｍＭりん酸ナトリウム緩衝液
で溶出した。次に、溶出したこの粗酵素液を濃縮後、更
に上記緩衝液で透析して食肉用軟化剤を得る。なお、こ
の食肉用軟化剤には、エンド型βーＤ−キシロシダーゼ
やエンド型β−Ｄ−ガラクトシダーゼなどの酵素が含ま
れている。The enzyme solution dissolved in the buffer was added to a column of Super Rose 12 pg (1.6 × 60 cm: manufactured by Pharmacia) and eluted with the above 10 mM sodium phosphate buffer. Next, the eluted crude enzyme solution is concentrated and then dialyzed against the above buffer solution to obtain a meat tenderizer. The meat softener contains enzymes such as endo-β-D-xylosidase and endo-β-D-galactosidase.

【００１０】つぎに、前記製法で得た食肉用軟化剤を使
用する食肉の処理方法について以下詳述すると、前記食
肉用軟化剤を０．１Ｍ酢酸ナトリウム緩衝液（ｐＨ４．
０）に溶解し、この溶解液に１０×１０×３０mmの大き
さにカットしたオーストラリア産牛肉外ももを３７℃で
振盪しながら二昼夜漬け込んだ。そして、食肉用軟化剤
で処理したこの肉を１％食塩水溶液で温度１００℃、３
０分間加熱処理して、食肉用軟化剤に含まれる酵素を失
活させた後、これをレオメーター（不動工業株式会社
製）による切断試験を行った。Next, a method of treating meat using the meat tenderizer obtained by the above-mentioned method will be described in detail below. The meat tenderizer is prepared in a 0.1 M sodium acetate buffer (pH 4.0).
0), and Australian beef thigh cut into a size of 10 × 10 × 30 mm was immersed in the solution at 37 ° C. for two days and night while shaking. Then, the meat treated with the meat tenderizer is treated with a 1% saline solution at a temperature of 100 ° C., 3
After a heat treatment for 0 minutes to inactivate the enzyme contained in the meat tenderizer, a cutting test was performed using a rheometer (manufactured by Fudo Industry Co., Ltd.).

【００１１】その測定結果は図１の通りである。この図
から明らかなように、本発明に係る食肉用軟化剤で前記
の方法で処理したサンプル肉は、これを０．１Ｍ酢酸ナ
トリウム緩衝液にのみ漬け込んだコントロール肉と比べ
て切断強度が小さくなり、また官能検査においても肉の
軟化が認められた。The measurement results are as shown in FIG. As is clear from this figure, the sample meat treated with the meat tenderizer according to the present invention by the above-described method has a lower cutting strength than control meat immersed only in 0.1 M sodium acetate buffer. In addition, tenderization of the meat was also observed in the sensory test.

【００１２】すなわち、食肉用軟化剤で処理したサンプ
ル肉と、処理しないコントロール肉の各々について肉片
をつくり、これをPicro-Sirius Red Polarization 法に
より染色した。そして、染色した各肉片を顕微鏡で観察
した結果、酵素処理した前記サンプル肉は結合組織の結
合が弱まり、筋原繊維間の距離（結合組織の幅）が広が
っているが、酵素処理しないコントロール肉は結合組織
の結合が強く、筋原繊維が緻密に集合していることが認
められた。That is, a piece of meat was prepared for each of the sample meat treated with the meat tenderizer and the control meat which was not treated, and stained by the Picro-Sirius Red Polarization method. As a result of observing each stained piece of meat with a microscope, the enzyme-treated sample meat has weaker connective tissue connection, and the distance between the myofibrils (the width of the connective tissue) has been increased, but the control meat not treated with the enzyme has It was recognized that the connective tissue had a strong bond and myofibrils were densely aggregated.

【００１３】次に、食肉用軟化剤の至適ｐＨについて述
べると、食肉用軟化剤を、クエン酸−りん酸水素二ナト
リウム緩衝液（ｐＨ２〜８）に溶解し、合成基質を使っ
て至適ｐＨの試験をした。その結果を図２に示す。図２
から明らかなように、酵素の活性が最も高いのは緩衝液
のｐＨが４．５付近であった。すなわち、ｐＨ４．５の
活性を１００とすると、ｐＨ５．０で８２の活性がみら
れ、又ｐＨ６．０で５５の活性がみられたが、ｐＨ７以
上では活性がほとんどみられなかった。Next, the optimum pH of the meat tenderizer will be described. The meat tenderizer is dissolved in a citric acid-disodium hydrogen phosphate buffer (pH 2 to 8), and the optimum pH is obtained using a synthetic substrate. The pH was tested. The result is shown in FIG. FIG.
As is clear from the above, the highest activity of the enzyme was observed when the pH of the buffer solution was around 4.5. That is, assuming that the activity at pH 4.5 is 100, an activity of 82 was observed at pH 5.0 and an activity of 55 was observed at pH 6.0, but almost no activity was observed at pH 7 or higher.

【００１４】同様に、前記食肉用軟化剤をクエン酸−り
ん酸水素二ナトリウム緩衝液（ｐＨ２〜８）に溶解し、
食肉用軟化剤を溶解したこの液の中に、１０×１０×３
０ｍｍにカットしたオーストラリア産牛肉の外もも肉
を、３７℃で振盪しながら一昼夜漬け込んだ。そして、
食肉用軟化剤を処理する緩衝液のｐＨの違いによる肉の
断面の変化をみて、肉に処理できるｐＨの範囲を検討し
た。Similarly, the meat tenderizer is dissolved in a citric acid-disodium hydrogen phosphate buffer (pH 2 to 8),
In this solution in which the meat tenderizer is dissolved, 10 × 10 × 3
The outer leg of Australian beef cut to 0 mm was pickled for 24 hours while shaking at 37 ° C. And
The range of pH that can be processed for meat was examined by examining the change in the cross section of meat due to the difference in pH of the buffer for treating the meat tenderizer.

【００１５】その結果、食肉用軟化剤をｐＨが４，５，
６の各緩衝液で調整した液で処理したサンプル肉は、前
記顕微鏡観察の結果と同様に、肉の結合組織の結合強度
が弱まり、筋原繊維間の幅が広がっているのが観察され
た。また緩衝液のｐＨが２，３で処理した肉はゼラチン
状になり、肉本来の食感は失われた。精製度が低いため
タンパク質分解酵素（消化酵素）が含まれていて、これ
が筋原繊維タンパク質を分解したものと考えられる。さ
らに、緩衝液のｐＨが７以上で処理した肉は、３７℃の
処理では酵素の効果より細菌が増殖し、腐敗が始まっ
た。As a result, the meat tenderizer was adjusted to pH 4,5
In the sample meat treated with the solution prepared with each buffer solution of No. 6, it was observed that the connective strength of the connective tissue of the meat was weakened and the width between myofibrils was widened, similarly to the result of the microscopic observation. . The meat treated with the buffer solution having a pH of 2 or 3 became gelatinous, and the original texture of the meat was lost. Due to the low degree of purification, a proteolytic enzyme (digestive enzyme) was included, which is considered to have degraded the myofibril protein. Further, in meat treated at a pH of the buffer solution of 7 or more, bacteria were proliferated by the effect of the enzyme at 37 ° C., and putrefaction started.

【００１６】前記各実施例の結果から、食肉用軟化剤を
調整する緩衝液のｐＨが４〜６のものが、食肉の結合組
織のみを分解軟化する効果が顕著にみられ、緩衝液のｐ
Ｈが７以上あるいは３以下では、食肉の結合組織のみを
分解軟化する酵素の活性はみられなかった。すなわち、
食肉の結合組織を分解軟化するのに適する食肉用軟化剤
の至適ｐＨの範囲はｐＨ４〜６であると考えられ、又こ
の食肉用軟化剤で肉を処理する際の至適温度は３７℃付
近であるとの結論を得た。From the results of each of the above examples, the buffer having a pH of 4 to 6 for preparing the meat tenderizer has a remarkable effect of decomposing and softening only the connective tissue of the meat.
When H was 7 or more or 3 or less, the activity of an enzyme that decomposed and softened only the connective tissue of meat was not observed. That is,
It is considered that the optimal pH range of the meat tenderizer suitable for decomposing and softening the connective tissue of meat is pH 4 to 6, and the optimal temperature when treating meat with this meat tenderizer is 37 ° C. It was concluded that it was near.

【００１７】なお、前記各実施例においては、酵素はホ
タテ貝の中腸腺より粗精製して抽出した粗酵素を使用し
たが、これに限定されるものではなく、例えば、ホタテ
貝以外の他の貝類の中腸腺等から前記と同様な方法によ
り粗精製して抽出した粗酵素でもよく、また、魚類の腸
等から前記と同様な方法により粗精製した粗酵素を使用
してもよい。In each of the above embodiments, the enzyme used was a crude enzyme which was roughly purified and extracted from the midgut gland of the scallop. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The crude enzyme may be crudely purified and extracted from the midgut gland or the like of the shellfish of the present invention by the same method as described above, or may be used from the intestine of fish or the like.

【００１８】[0018]

【発明の効果】本発明に係る食肉用軟化剤及びこの食肉
用軟化剤を使用する食肉の処理方法は上記のような構成
であり、食肉の結合組織のみを選択的に分解軟化し、筋
原繊維タンパク質は分解されないため、結合組織を多く
含む硬くて低品位の食肉でも食肉本来の食感を損なうこ
とがなく、しかも適度に軟らかい食肉となる。したがっ
て、食肉のテクスチャーを向上させることができるとゝ
もに、貝類の中腸腺より抽出する際の酵素は粗精製でよ
いため、精製が容易であり、従って安価に食肉の軟化処
理をすることができる、といった諸効果がある。The meat tenderizer and the method for treating meat using the meat tenderizer according to the present invention have the above-mentioned constitution, and selectively decompose and soften only the connective tissue of the meat. Since the fibrous protein is not decomposed, even hard, low-grade meat containing a large amount of connective tissue does not impair the original texture of the meat, and becomes moderately soft. Therefore, while the texture of meat can be improved, the enzyme used for extraction from the midgut gland of the shellfish can be roughly purified, so that it is easy to purify, and therefore, the meat should be softened at low cost. There are various effects such as being able to do.

【図面の簡単な説明】[Brief description of the drawings]

【図１】肉の切断試験結果を示す図である。FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the results of a meat cutting test.

【図２】酵素の基質による活性測定結果を示す図であ
る。FIG. 2 is a view showing the results of activity measurement using an enzyme substrate.

Claims (5)

【特許請求の範囲】[Claims] 【請求項１】 貝類の中腸腺より抽出した粗酵素をｐＨ
４〜６に調整してなることを特徴とする食肉用軟化剤。1. The method of claim 1, wherein the crude enzyme extracted from the midgut gland of the shellfish is pH
A meat tenderizer characterized by being adjusted to 4 to 6. 【請求項２】 貝類の中腸腺がホタテ貝の中腸腺である
ことを特徴とする請求項１記載の食肉用軟化剤。2. The meat tenderizer according to claim 1, wherein the midgut gland of the shellfish is a scallop midgut gland. 【請求項３】 請求項１記載の食肉用軟化剤により食肉
を処理し、その後前記食肉用軟化剤の粗酵素を失活させ
ることを特徴とする食肉の処理方法。3. A method for treating meat, comprising treating meat with the meat softener according to claim 1, and thereafter inactivating the crude enzyme of the meat softener. 【請求項４】 食肉用軟化剤による食肉の処理が、至適
温度３７℃で食肉に作用させることを特徴とする請求項
３記載の食肉の処理方法。4. The method for treating meat according to claim 3, wherein the treatment of the meat with the meat tenderizer acts on the meat at an optimum temperature of 37 ° C. 【請求項５】 食肉用軟化剤の粗酵素の失活処理が、加
熱処理であることを特徴とする請求項３又は４記載の食
肉の処理方法。5. The method for treating meat according to claim 3, wherein the inactivation treatment of the crude enzyme of the meat softener is a heat treatment.