Abstract
In Japan, beef is often eaten after coating with Japanese miso (soya-bean paste). However, the texture of meat is hardened by the treatment owing to the high concentration of salt contained in miso.
The present study was undertaken in order to preserve this miso-coated beef in a tasty condition for a long period by the application of several commercial protease preparations. An acid-protease obtained from a certain Rhizopus fungus was found to be most effective for this purpose, because the enzyme showed an extremely narrow specificity and less stability on beef. Thus, the beef was only slightly affected so that the meat was able to maintain its palatability and tenderness.