Changes in Texture and Proteins of Squid Meat Cured in Sake Lees

Abstract

The squid meat cured in sake lees have peculiar texture. Changes in the texture and the proteins of squid meat cured in sake lees were studied by physical and chemical methods and sensory tests as well. The squid meat was cured in sake lees after being water-boiled for a few minutes and peeled the two surface layers of the skin. Changes of the meat texture during 10 day curing were investigated by sensory tests and by a texturometer and a rheometer. The proteins of squid muscle preserved with sake lee extract were analyzed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The sensory tests revealed that sake lee cured squid meat became tender as it is easily bit off with teeth. The hardness and the tensile strength of squid meat cured in sake lees decreased with the length of curing time. The SDS-PAGE patterns showed that the proteins of squid muscle preserved with sake lee extract were decomposed to fragments with lower molecular size, while the decomposition didn't occur when the sake lee extract was cooked prior to use. These results suggested that the decrease of hardness of squid meat during sake lee curing is attributable to the decomposition of the proteins caused by the enzymes in sake lees.