Taste and Texture of Abalone Meat after Extended Cooking

Abstract

Abalone meat was cooked for 0, 15, 30, 60, 180, and 360min, and changes in the taste and texture during cooking were studied. During cooking, the weight of meat decreased, and it was 65% of the original weight after cooking for 360min. Collagen content in the meat decreased with a concomitant decrease in the hardness of meat (r=0.82). The amount of adenosine 5'-monophosphate increased after cooking for 15min and leveled off. The total amount of free amino acids increased after15-30min, then decreased. On the contrary, the amount of oligopeptide-bound amino acids kept increasing until 360min, both in the cooked meat and the drip. In the dominant amino acids of the oligopeptides, collagen constituents amino acids such as glycine, hydroxyproline, and proline were included. By the sensory test, the characteristic abalone taste and odor became stronger as the cooking time increased. This might be the reason why Japanese cookbooks recommend cooking for an extended period such as 15 or 180min.