Browning Reaction in the Production of the Boiled-dried Adductor Muscle of Scallop (shiraboshi)

Abstract

　In the process of preparation of shiraboshi, the boiled-dried adductor muscles of scallop, excessive browning of the muscle during drying process reduces the commodity value of the product. In this study, one of the compounds responsible for the browning reaction was identified. Gel-filtration chromatographic analysis following the browning reaction using sugars having varied chain lengths indicated that, the sugars with low molecular mass, such as the monosaccharides, are the predominant candidates responsible for browning. In the presence of the amino acid, the browning was enhanced. Additionally, use of sugars phosphorylated at C-6, such as D-glucose 6-phosphate (G6P) and D-fructose 6-phosphate (F6P), deepened the browning amongst the various sugars and the sugar phosphates examined. G6P occurs upstream/towards the beginning of the glycolytic pathway, which appears to be triggered during the postmortem changes in scallop. In the experimental shiraboshi production, soaking in G6P prior to the drying process accelerates the browning of the adductor muscle. Consequently, G6P levels in the adductor muscle of scallop influence the appearance of shiraboshi products.