Meat pretreatment with protease and quick freezing allows connective tissue and fat to flow out during cooking

Abstract

Connective tissue and fat are often removed from meat during processing. Their removal requires skilled butchery techniques; however, few methods are available for batch processing a large number of meat pieces. In this study, we aimed to develop a pretreatment method that promotes the flow of connective tissue and fat from meat so that they are removed during cooking. When meat samples pre-treated with protease (immersion in papain solution) and quick freezing (with thawing after immersion in liquid nitrogen) were cooked, connective tissue and fat disintegrated; the amount of outflow was significantly higher than when each treatment was applied individually. This combination reduced treatment time and did not severely damage the muscle tissue in the meat. This method has the potential to produce value-added meat products in terms of sensory quality and nutrition.